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Mallee - Part 2

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will grow, and the analyses of the spoil, and talking of salt would not alter my convictions under the circumstances. What more than all impresses one is that the older settlers are the most enthusiastic in their appreciation of the district. That would not be so if year after year they were met with natural disappointments.
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will grow, and the analyses of the soil, and talking of salt would not alter my convictions under the circumstances. What more than all impresses one is that the older settlers are the most enthusiastic in their appreciation of the district. That would not be so if year after year they were met with natural disappointments.
 
1107. Mr O'Brien has made a statement to us that in his report he dealt with an area which was well within the 12in. to 25in. rainfall, and that the graphs which were attached to his report show clearly the rainfall in each month, and the map show each inch of rainfall from 25in. at Esperance to the north boundary of the area classified. Those graphs are not procurable? — That is another evidence of carelessness; I cannot tell what has become of them. They were not within my charge or keep.
 
1107. Mr O'Brien has made a statement to us that in his report he dealt with an area which was well within the 12in. to 25in. rainfall, and that the graphs which were attached to his report show clearly the rainfall in each month, and the map show each inch of rainfall from 25in. at Esperance to the north boundary of the area classified. Those graphs are not procurable? — That is another evidence of carelessness; I cannot tell what has become of them. They were not within my charge or keep.
 
1108. So far as we know they were last heard of in the Premier's office? — They may have taken there for examination and report, but I question whether they would stop there; they would be returned to their proper custody.  
 
1108. So far as we know they were last heard of in the Premier's office? — They may have taken there for examination and report, but I question whether they would stop there; they would be returned to their proper custody.  

Revision as of 01:01:27, May 10, 2018

will grow, and the analyses of the soil, and talking of salt would not alter my convictions under the circumstances. What more than all impresses one is that the older settlers are the most enthusiastic in their appreciation of the district. That would not be so if year after year they were met with natural disappointments. 1107. Mr O'Brien has made a statement to us that in his report he dealt with an area which was well within the 12in. to 25in. rainfall, and that the graphs which were attached to his report show clearly the rainfall in each month, and the map show each inch of rainfall from 25in. at Esperance to the north boundary of the area classified. Those graphs are not procurable? — That is another evidence of carelessness; I cannot tell what has become of them. They were not within my charge or keep. 1108. So far as we know they were last heard of in the Premier's office? — They may have taken there for examination and report, but I question whether they would stop there; they would be returned to their proper custody. 1109. By Mr. PADBURY: Where would that be? — The Agricultural Department. 1110. By the CHAIRMAN: We have tried there? — There might be some confusion owing to the fact that Mr. O'Brien was really connected with the Mines Department — Water Supply — and his first investigation, the uppermost idea in the work, was testing the assertion made that the land would not hold water, that dams could not be constructed, that it was a waterless district, and if there was rainfall it would not benefit the vegetation because of the porous nature of the soil. Therefore, Mr O'Brien, an an expert in water conservation, was appointed the officer to make investigations primarily, with a view of testing the character of the soil for that purpose. But once an officer had to be sent there his commission was widened to include information as to rainfall catchments, the quality of the soil, and you can readily understand where the two departments are concerned in it that water was a matter for the goldfields, for the Mines Department to deal with, that agriculture and the quality of the soil for the Agricultural Department, but the Agricultural Department almost regarded the Esperance district as a myth, and with that kind of distant fairyland caused everything to vanish when things were done with. I am quite conscious that there has been an abundance of carelessness. 1111. This particular graph would be useful to the Commission? — Useful to everybody; to me to refer to. 1112. We thought you might be able to tell us where it could be found?— If Mr. Middleton were here — he was trusted by Mr. O'Brien, who was a capable surveyor, to obtain information as to classification of soils, and the engineering work in addition. I know he drew up for Mr O'Brien the bulk of the report because he made the investigations. Unfortunately he is away in the East, he has just joined the expeditionary forces. He has had to pass his examination afresh recently. 1113. By Mr. PADBURY; This plan and information has cost £1,200, and the plan was recently in the Premier's office, but no one can get a hold of it? — I do not know more than you do about it. I feel convinced that no member of the Government was responsible for the loss of them. 1114. You spoke of seeing many good crops down there at different times; how do you account for the bad yields? — I account for them because they have had, only in one or two places, consistent farming. Most of the crops were taken from raw agricultural properties, worked by people who came from the mining districts without any experience. 1115. You submit that provided there are some good crops, and the land being similar, there could be others? — Yes. 1116. You mention that there is a good deal of sandplain country north of Esperance; you do not consider waste land? — No; the sand there is drift sand blown in from the hills around Esperance, and the hills at Esperance themselves are not of importance. I am satisfied from one or two visits that there is good subsoil. 1117. Do you think that sheep could feed on such land? — Undoubtedly. 1118. Why do you think that the people down there should have been so neglected? — In the first place the districts originally opened up got into certain grooves as to market and trade connection, and they began to be afraid of competition. That is a possible reason or one of them. I think it is one that should be given some weight. There has been a very large market in Kalgoorlie for the products of the farms and easy of attainment facilities for getting stuff there, and if that district did become a wheat-growing district, there is no doubt about it, it is nearer and the time and expense necessary for transit would be saved, a good deal of the produce if it were going to Kalgoorlie would be blocked. There is something in that argument, but perhaps there is a more material reason. The port of Esperance, if opened up, is the nearest gate to the East, and if there was a railway from that port up to Kalgoorlie and the eastern goldfields. Adelaide might become its capital, so to speak. That is a suspicion; I do not think it is a sound one, but it has been advanced. 1119. In the early days? — The first conviction sticks. It would give the goldfields trade to another State, and practically isolate Fremantle. My idea is that it would increase the trade of Fremantle and all the ports. It would build the population of Esperance and the ports further on and nearer. It would mean an increase of settlement and commerce generally would benefit. (The witness retired.) The Commission adjourned.