WEDNESDAY, 8th NOVEMBER, 1916.

(At Mr. Marshall.)

Present J. O. Giles, Esq., Chairman, B. L. Clarkson, Esq., H. H. Paynter, Esq., F. E. Venn, Esq.

RICHARD ARTHUR HUGO LOWENSHON, Farmer, Mt. Marshall, sworn and examined:

5956. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?—I came here in September, 1910. I am a married man. I had farming experience in the old country. I took up about 1,000 acres. It was mostly first class land, but about 170 is third class land. We have a good rainfall here. I have what I should call 830 acres of first class land, and I consider there to be first class A, first class B, and first class C. I should class gimlet land "A," and this morrel land I have, class "B." I would sooner have this land than heavy land.

5957. What did the Government charge you for the land?—10/6d. That has not been reduced. I am only two miles from a railway station.

5958. How much have you cleared?—510 acres. The whole block is fenced with a boundary fence, and a sub-division of 250-acre paddocks. I am within two miles of a Government dam. We do not pay for that water. The Government dam was not down during the drought. We have two wells also. I cannot tell you the capacity of the Government dam. The two wells are Government, and are within two miles of my place. They give me a permanent supply. I have a house, but so far have no machinery shed. I am just putting up a chaff shed, but I want to get iron to cover it.

5959. Have you a full farming plant?—Yes, with the exception of a plough. I have six horses, a cow and a heifer but no other stock. I have no idea what the rainfall is.

5960. Did you inspect this land before taking it up?—No. I took it up on the advice of someone in the Imigration Department. I was satisfied with the land when I saw it.

5961. Do you know who surveyed this land?—A Mr. Denning, I think. It is half gimlet, and half mallee. I came here expecting a railway to be here in about two years. The Government often told me there were no bad seasons in W.A.

5962. Did you have any capital when you came here?—No, I started without capital. When I came here I was for two years on my own and carried my water in two kerosene drums every morning. I have been assisted by the banks, and owe them £620, and by the I.A.B. to the extent of £323, that is without the 6d. advance, which I estimate at £98. This includes all of my machinery debts. We have been assisted this year to the extent of about £200 for super, and stores. For the last two years the rainfall has been very uncertain. It has come at very uncertain periods. The Lands Department told me that there would be about 11in. rainfall here. I do not know what the Government went upon in estimating that.

5963. By Mr. CLARKSON: What area have you under crop?—I have 400 acres in crop, and have about 50 acres fallowed. I consider fallow is the best system.

5964. How much seed and super. do you use?—We use in some places 40lbs. of seed and 45lbs. of super. Further away we put in 60lbs. of seed and 60lbs. of super. I prefer early wheats and Federation. My highest average has been 16 1/2 bushels. That was last year.

5965. How many bushels would you want at 10s. per bag to pay expenses?—If I got a 10-bushel yield I should consider I was holding my own. That would just about pay my expenses.

5966. What implements have you?—We have a 22-disc cultivator. It takes five horses to pull that. I can do about 15 acres a day. I have a 15-disc drill, and can do 14 acres a day.

5967. What harvester do you use?—We have a 6ft. State Implement harvester and do about seven acres a day.

5968. Do you consider bulk handling would reduce your costs?—Yes.

5969. What is your opinion of the tariff?—I think farmer's machinery should come in free.

5970. Do you think it would be an advantage if all your debts were funded and carried to the end of your term?—I would not like my debts funded unless I was certain things were going well. I would sooner be indebted to the Government than to a private bank.

5971. By Mr. PAYNTER: Have your crops or stock ever suffered from disease?—No, scarcely at all. We pickle our wheat but do not grade it. We have only grown wheat.

5972. Have you tried to grow artificial grasses or fodder crops?—No, we have very few vegetables.

5973. Do you go in for pigs?—No, but I intend to get some. I think this is a good district for pigs.

5974. Have you raised any poultry for the market?—No, we had 80 once, and the dingoes had most of them, and in about a month we only had 12.

5975. What wages do you pay?—We pay £2 a week and keep in this district and it is not satisfactory labour by any means. We generally work 12 hours a day.