Part 5

Page 249
image 10 of 98

This transcription is complete

SATURDAY, 18th NOVEMBER, 1916. (At Wongan Hills.)

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

ROYSTON RANDEEL BARNES ACKLAND, Farmer, Lake Ninin, Wongan Hills, sworn and examined:

6132. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been farming in this district?— I have been in the district for six years. My brother and I hold 4,288 acres, of which about 1,250 have been cleared. The country consists of about two-thirds forest, the balance is scrub plain and tamar—our crops have varied strangely. We have had nothing off 400 acres of forest country in 1914, but we had three bags of wheat during the drought off the sandplain that year.

6133. What is the price of your land?—The forest ocuntry cost us 10s., and some of the other 6s. 3d., and the rest of it 5s. We are on an average of give miles from the railway. The water supply consists of two wells and a dam. One well is 80 feet deep. The dam is not permanent, one year it was dry. It is 750 yards, covered with ti-tree. We sunk it under contract at 1s. a yard. The depth of the dam is 12 feet.

6134. How much of your land is fenced?—About 1,500 acres.

6135. Have you full farming plant?—Yes, and 25 draught horses, some pigs, four cows and a heifer, four sheep and 100 fowls. Our capital expenditure has been £5,000. The school facilities are at Wongan Hills, which is five miles away.

6136. Have the settlers been assisted by the advice of any of the experts of the Department of Agriculture?—Mr. Sutton has been here, and also Professor Paterson. They came here by invitation. Mr. Sutton was here five years ago, and Professor Paterson last year.

6137. Do you think that more expert advice from the best sources would be advantageous to the district?—Not at the present time. The best thing is to get at the children. I was instrumental in getting Professor Paterson up, and on several nights before the lectures I had to visit the settlers and drag them in. Some of them would go out before the meeting was over. They did not appreciate it, and looked upon it as too scientific.

6138. By Mr. CLARKSON: How much crop have you got?—We have 630 acres crop, 400 fallow, and I believe in fallowing every time.

6139. Some of the wheats are better than others. Do you prefer the early or the late wheats?—I mix my wheats. We always have some storms. For the late wheats, I like nothing later than Federation. I fallow four to five inches. I could not give an idea of the average yield of the district.

6140. What would be the yield off fallow under good conditions?—If we averaged less than 21 bushels from fallow in good years we would be disappointed. As a matter of fact we have got as much as 25 off sand-plain.

6141. How many bushels do you consider you have to get before you pay your expenses and depreciation, and before you get anything for your own labour? Take it approximately at 10s. per bag?—Thirteen bushels.

6142. Do you think as a principle that the use of larger machinery would reduce your costs?—I would not like to use more than a six-horse team. With regard to bulk handling, I would like to see the system come in. The wheat could be shifted to the railway in tanks. The incidence of tariff is very heavy, and the prices we have to pay are too high. We have to pay for everything through the nose.

6143. By Mr. PAYNTER: Have your crops ever suffered from disease?—We had rust last year for the first time. We both pickle and grade our wheat. In addition to wheat we have the "Early ripe" oats in this year. The furit trees here are attacked by white ants. the vines do fairy well. As to poultry, we grow enough ourselves and occasionally sell a few eggs. The rate of wages we pay is according to the work from 30s. to £2 a week and keep.

6144. Do you find the class of labour satisfactory?—Far from it.

6145. What hours do you work?—From 4.45 in the morning till breakfast at six o'clock. An hour and a half afterwards we work till dinner time, and finish about six o'clock. Personally I work nine of ten hours a day, and do my writing afterwards. This totals out not less than 15 hours every day. A Man farming in this district should have at least 1,000 acres. Working by himself, the maximum amount of land that a man could work, I should think, would be 300 acres at the outside. I think the co-operation in the marketing of produce and the purchasing of supplies would be a great benefit to farmers. About three years ago I tried co-operation on a small scale, and made a saving on bags among four of our farmers. I have no complaint to make about the land laws, which I think are liberal.

6146. By Mr. CLARKSON: What amount of seed and super. do you use?—From 57 to 67. I have used super. to the extent of as low as 45lbs., and use it more heavily on the lighter country. I use a 7ft. Sunshine harvester, and six horses. It depends on the man how many acres a day you can do, but eight would be a satisfactory day's work.