21st NOVEMBER, 1916. ( AT DALWALLINU.) PRESENT: J.O.GILES, Esq,CHAIRMAN., B.I.CLARSON Esq . H. H Paynter, Esq , F.E. VENN, Esq T. J WILLAMSON, Farmer, Dalwallinu, sworn and examined:

6270. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been in the district about five years and have had previous experience of farming in Victoria . I was prospecting on the Eastern goldfields before I took up land here. I acquired 1,768 acres. I had a partner, my brother Herbert. Six hundred acres of the holding is send plain, the rest is forest and scrub country. I prefer forest country for farming. I paid 13s. for the send plain and 13s. 6d. for the other. I applied for a reduction of these prices, but I have received no reply so far. I am five miles from the railway and have cleared 470 acres. There are 509 chains of fencing enclosing 940 acres. My water supply is a dam nine feet deep, 1,200 cubic yards capacity. That will afford a permanent supply, and was done on contract at 1s. 3d. a yard. I am a married man with a family. My house is of rough timber, hessian and iron, just about as good as a dogs kennel. I have no stable and no machinery shed. I have as much farming plant as I can drag along with, but it is not a full plant. I have five working draught horses.

6271. What capital did you have when you started?—Is not that prying into one's private concerns?

6272. By Mr . CLARKSON: you may have started with a lot of capital or with none at all, and your present position might indicate how well or badly you may have fared?— I had about £520 on coming here, but that has not been sufficient to develop the property. The Agricultural Bank advanced £590 and the industries Assistance Board also assisted me. Approximately the last wheat that went down was 1,616 bushels, worth about £640. I got a statement from the Industries Assistance Board showing me £90 in debt, but that is not allowing for the 6d. paid recently. Their statement is not correct, They charged me £40 for hemp, a quantity which would last any farmer for 20 years: two bales is the most a farmer usually gets. There are several other items for which they have charged me, some of which I could not understand myself. I think some of my debt has extended right into this year—the bags were charged that way.

6273. Does the claim of the Board cover your indebtedness to the merchants?—It was to do so if there were any surplus, but as there was no surplus, therefore, It is owing. I cannot tell you the amount, but I can have it forwarded to you when I get it.

6274. Do you represent any association?— I am Secretary of the farmers and settlers'.

6275. How much crop have you got in?—Four hundred and fifty acres. There are 300 acres between my brother and myself and 150 acres I gave a brother the privilege of putting it in on condition that we take on-third. Of the 450 acres,140 are fallowed. I had no fallow in previous years although I am a thorough believer in is as a principle, I go in for early wheats. I sowed Gluyas this years. Last year I had Gluyas and Goldsmith, and the latter turned out the better. I sow 601bs. of seed to the acre, but do not grade it. I use 601bs. of super. On forest land and on send plain country 1001bs. I think 18½ bushels was my highest yield to date. That was over about 270 acres, I cut 30 acres for hay that year. That is larger of course than the average for the district, which I should put down at approximately 16 bushels. A return of 15 bushels would pay a man eight or nine shillings a day and the cost of putting in and taking off a crop, but not the interest on capital. I use a five-furrow Smith Plough with five horses but I should have six. I plough three to four inches and do four acres a day. I have a Gaug dise cultivator, 13-tine. I have done eight to nine acres in a day. My drill is Union and I average 12 to 13 acres. Until this year I have had a stripper and winnower but this year I will be using a Sunshine. I certainly think that bulk handling would very materially assist the farmer. The tariff affects us rather unpleasantly, providing the seasons were favourable and one's liabilities were funded and repayment spread over a period of years. It would be an advantage to the industry. The first crop I put in when I came here was 12 acres, but I lost all that. In the next year I got 13 cwt. of hay from 30 acres, but of course, experience of this district extends only over a very few years.

6276. To Mr . PAYNTER: The crops here have not suffered from disease? I pickle all wheat. I have tried fruit trees, but they are a failure. I have started pig-raising with three sows and seven little ones, but at present they are for our own use only. I have given no attention to poultry raising. I have never been able to employ labour and my working hours are from sunrise, more often from daylight, till 8 or 9 at night. No man could do any good in this country with less than 2,000 acres, but with everything in his favour including a good water supply, a man single handed should crop from 250 to 300 acres. Co-opera-