cattle require. At present is is more of a cattle proposition than a sheep proposition.

6535.the settlers send a lot of cream down from Dowerin?— Yes. This fairly decent grazing country. Wheat growing I know nothing about, but the land should be fallowed first and a further advance made to clear the land . a man should have 600 acres cleared. Settlers have been here for four or five years , but they have not sufficient land cleared to make a living off. If the settlers were advanced £600 they could crop 300 and fallow 300. I can only make farming pay with butchering. Any settler should make a fair start if he had six cows in full milk.

(The witness retired)

_________________

TIMOTHY KEOGH, Farmer, Perenjori, sworn and examined:

6536. To the CHAIRMAN:I have been here since June, 1911and hold 1,000 acres, all of which is practically forest. There may be 10 acres of poor land in it . It cost 15s. 6d.at the time ,but I got this reduced to 14s 6d. I am two and a half miles to the nearest siding. I have 290 acres cleared and under crop and 60 acres half cleared. My water supply is a well of good stock water not absolutely fresh, but it yield about 600 gallons a day. I am married and have two children, one has been going to school, but there is a school needed here. I have an iron house, 30 by 20 and eight-foot veranda, divided into four rooms. A bush stable and rough machinery shed, and a big fly to cover the harvester. I have cultivator and interest in a drill. I have a harvester. those are all my implements. I have no plough and have a half interest in a small chaffcutter. I have six working horses and pony and fowls. I did not have much capital when I took up the land, about £100 in all. I could have sold out at one time, but I did not do so, and the consequence was my wife got down to it a little over 12 months ago. The agricultural Bank advanced £300 on improvements and £125 for stock and machinery loan in addition. the account sent to me by the Industries Assistance Board a couple of months ago showed that I owe them £270, but since then there has been the 6d. dividend. I delivered close on 600 bag or about £275 worth of wheat. I should say that I owe about £220 after taking off the 6d.

6537-8. To Mr. CLARKSON: I have 290 acres under crop, but no fallow. It was only cultivated. It never has had a plough in it. I believe in fallowing. The highest yields I have had was last year, but my ground was very dirty. After the failure the year before, it ran into scrub and I could not get a plough on it. I gave it one stroke of the cultivator and mowed it down with bill hooks. That averaged 14 bushels last year and one piece went 20 bushels. It went 14 bushels over the whole acreage of 150, I estimate my crop this year at 14 bushels and I estimate that it would take 35s, an acre to cover the expense of putting in and taking off. I use a 19 spring tooth cultivator and a 15 disc drill and a six-foot harvester. But by using a larger plant my costs would be proportionately reduced. I employ a man now and again and I have one at the present time. Bulk handing would certainly reduce my costs, but I have not considered the question very much. There is no doubt that the duty on farming machinery is unreasonable.

6539. If your liabilities were found and a period given where in to repay by instalments, would that be of assistance to you? —I could carry on without further assistance if I could only get a few sheep, say 100 good breeding ewes or even 50 and work up a flock. To depend on wheat alone is not good enough, but I would prefer the system you mention to working under the present conditions. I have a two-wire fence and could make it into sheep proof without any trouble.

6540. To Mr PAYNTER: I did not pickle my wheat this year. I have not had blight and no smut except in one bag. I did not grade it. The minimum quantity of land a man should hold here is 1,000 acres and the maximum that he should handle by himself is a bout 250 acres .No doubt cooperation would be a good thing, but I have not given it a thought. I consider the price charged for the land should be held over for a few years and tacked on the latter end of the period. So much money goes out a man's pocket at the beginning.

6541.To Mr VEEN: My block does not contain very good grass.

6541a. But you spoke of sheep just now? — Yes, I grew good crops and could turn the sheep on to the stubble. I have no poison. My outside fence contains two wires, but I have six holes bored ready for more wire, and plenty of water in one well, I have not heard of the dingo for the last five years. I would be glad to avail myself of the opportunity if the Government would supply ewes on extended terms as I have plenty of water for 100 sheep, but even 50 would be a help and I could carry that number at the present time. I have no cows although it is economy to keep a cow, but they are so high in price at present and there is no doubt there would have been many cows in the district but for the failure in 1914. I have a fair shell of a house, but cannot see my way to complete it, and I might say that majority of the dwelling here are not fit for pigs live in.

(The witness retired)

________________

JOHN HENRY GRAHAM, Farmer, Bowgada, sworn and examined:

6542. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been here a year. I have 1,000 acres of land, of which 800 is forest. I paid 12s 6d. for it; it is five miles distant from the railway. I have had a dam of 1,500 yards which cost Is. 6d. a yard by contract. It Is eight feet deep, but in not full. I have cleared 300 acres though I have been here only 12 months. I had 100 cleared and put in on contract. Previously I was a tentmaker in Perth. I did not inspect the land before taking it up, but took it on the recommendation of Mr. Anderson, of the P.W.D., and I am quite satisfied with it . I have no fencing yet, but have only one wire around 300 acres. I am married, with two boys. Both have left school. My house is four-roomed lined weather board. I have a bush stable and sheds to cover machinery and a full set of implements to work the land. I have eight working horses and one cow. When I started I put in £800 of my own money. The Agricultural Bank advanced about £600, but I have had nothing from the I.A.B.