Wheat in and afterwards cart it to the siding on a wagon fitted with tanks, I think that all actually the tariff at the present time is more than the machine itself is worth, I would prefer to see all our liabilities funded with a period of 10 years for repayment to the present system now in vogue.

6503. To Mr . PAYNTER: We have not had any disease in our crops, and I do not pickle nor grade my wheat. I have not tried artificial grasses nor fruit trees, but I have vegetables. Pigs I do not keep. Every man should have at least 1,000 acres of land and ought to account for 300 of these annually by himself. No doubt co-operation among the farmers would be advantageous. I consider the present land laws are very liberal in the dry areas, but my experience is that I would not tackle the undertaking again on the same conditions. I think the rent should be held over until a man is well started, and it takes many years to get a proper start here, five or six at the very least.

6504. To Mr . VENN: This is all good grazing country and particularly so for sheep. We have good water and when funds permit of it I intend to go in for grazing. If the Government provided sheep for settlers when they were ready fir them, they should be breeding ewes on extended terms. I have no poison in my country, but there are rabbit which, however, have not caused much trouble. They are not plentiful enough anyhow to make any difference in the meat bill.

6505. By the CHAIRMAN: If you ringbark and fire the timber, will that keep the suckers and under- growth down?—No ; that does more harm than good, unless you clear your land straight away and work it. I put a fire through some country that I ringbarked and ever since the undergrowth has been very troublesome. With a fire you would have to chop it down again. Before coming on the land I was resident in Perth, but now I am here I prefer the life and so does my wife, and she has been used to it, but like myself she is not satisfied with the present conditions, but we are living in hopes of getting a better house.

6506. By Mr . CLARKSON: How do you find the wages here compare with what you earned in town? Yu cannot compare them at all, nor the eight hours that you work in town either. In the country you work 16 for the same wages or less.

6507. By the CHAIRMAN: Which occupation holds out better chances for old age with a reasonable fortune and health?— The country life is by far the better life, but if you are working for wages in the country it would be no use to you. I do not keep a cow because I have not a paddock fenced in yet.

6508. We have met one man in another district who, when starting, took his cows to his block 40 miles from the railway and hobbled them out until he was able to fence. By giving them a little feed they always came home?— I hobbled my horses, but I could not keep them on the place. The feed is not so good that you can afford to hobble cows ; you must hand- feed them.

6509. After your six years experience here, do you think you can establish yourself successfully as a farmer?—I am certain I could, but the only handicap I suffer from now is the want of cash.

6510. You want more land cleared, a better house, whole of our difficulties could be solved by means of some liberal advance from the bank. If you had the place ready and money available at the bank you could take advantage of it, provided your property was good enough security for the advance.

6511. The State having established you here in a new district, and the class of security being in sufficient to induce financial institutions to take up the duty of establishing you, you consider that the State should do so, and that if it did you would succeed?— Yes, I do. Financing me half way is no good for myself nor for the State.

6512. How do you arrive at your 12 inch rainfall?—By gauges; I do not keep one myself, but there are two within five or six miles of me, and the records cover the past five or six years, and I do not think anybody knew the actual rainfall here until within the last few years, despite what appears on the published plans in the lands office.

THE WITNESS RETIRED

Richard Fiddles Fullerton Farmer, PERENJORI sworn and examined:

6513. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been in this district for five years and was at Baker's Hill previously ; before that in Scotland, where I was brought up on a farm. First of all I took up 2,000 acres, but later 3,898, of which 3,000 acres are forest country. The price of the forest is reduced from 14s. down to 12s., the average beings about 13s. I have the homestead block in the centre of the property and am situated two miles from the railway. I have cleared 1,000 acres which is all ring-fenced except the back side, two and a half miles in length. My water supply consists of two wells and a dam. One of the wells has good water, but the other is stock water only, although a good supply. The dam is 800 cubic yards. I excavated it myself and cannot tell how much it cost me as I did it at odd times, but it is a permanent affair and holds well, and is about seven feet deep. I am married and have three children, two of whom attend school. The house is of iron with iron side and lined through out inside. I have an open shed 40 by 22 feet made of iron, but no machinery shed. I have a big plant of farming implements, but am short of several. I work a tractor engine which requires a good plant. I have a ploughing outfit, but am short of a harvester, cultivator, and drills. I have 14 working horses, three cows, two calves, and only about five sheep left. I have put in about £3,000 of my own cash, but that was not sufficient to see me through. I owe money to the W. A Bank as well. I got from the Agricultural Bank £900 and £1,500 from the W .A Bank. My experience of the Agricultural Bank has been satisfactory, except that they did not give me enough money to clear my country with. The W. A Bank have carried me on They took it on the growing crop. I am not on the I. A . B.

6514. Do you prefer to deal with the I. A . B or the W . A Bank? — The bank treats me better because I seel my produce to whom I choose. I was selling chaff all through the season. I have a definite limit.

6515. To Mr . CLARKSON: I Have 740 acres under crop but no fallow. I believe in fallow of course, but it is a question of getting the money to work fallow with. I had 250 acres in fallow the years before, but it was a met season and consequently