Part 5

Page 336
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—directed in this district? -I do not know that I have any suggestion, but I can state that wheat growing here does not pay.

6880. What is wrong with the system? - Farming is rather a scientific proposition and unless you work scientifically you get nothing out of it. Five or six years ago the land here was boomed and a lot of people came down from the goldfields who knew nothing about farming and they took up land and, as might have been supposed, they have not been successful.

6881. By Mr Clarkson: Was that due to the methods or the men? -To the methods.

6882. Do you not think the men themselves ought to make good settlers? -Yes; they are hard working men, but they have not the proper system to follow.

6883. You think, then, that their position would be improved if the Department of Agriculture were to assist them with the advice of their experts? -Yes, undoubtedly. At Isseka there is a family named Teakle. They are all practical farmers from South Australia, and for the last five years, with the exception of last year, when there was rust, they have had good crops, while the ordinary Western Australian farmer had no crop at all, owing to his different method of working.

6884. They fallow consistently? -Yes, and their farms are very clean. Some of the farms have stones on the surface that were there five years ago.

6885. By Mr Venn: Do they carry any sheep? -Yes; they cannot work without sheep. When they fallow they must have sheep to keep the rubbish down.

6886. By Mr Clarkson: What are the living conditions for the women and children? -In a good many cases they are something terrible. They are practically worse than slavery. At several places the women and children have hardly any clothes or boots. There have been several cases for which I got clothes from friends of mine in the town and took out to them. Conditions at Nabawa and Mt. Erin are all right.

6887. By Mr Paynter: Are these people you refer to working under the Industries Assistance Board? -I think so. My district has a radius of 40 miles and three times a year I go round among all those people. There are 250 to 300 farmers and there are only six of them that I know of that are in any way independent, and there is only one man amongst them who is in a position to go to Perth every year for a trip. The rest of them never get past Geraldton under any circumstances.

6888. By the Chairman: Who are the independent men who have made a success of farming? -The Teakle family, Roodaway, at Isseka, and Forrester Bros at Durawa. I was out there three or four months ago through that country and everywhere you go the food you get is fried and boiled eggs.

6889. Did those whose names you have mentioned come to this district at the same time as the other settlers? -I believe so.

6890. Then what is the reason they are so much better off? -The Forresters and the Teakles are practical farmers and came from South Australia, and they work on system. Then, again, there is no local market for the produce of these settlers. For instance if a man brings in 20lbs. of butter to sell which is worth 2s a lb. the storekeeper will only offer him 1s a lb. You cannot sell turkeys. The freight to Perth would be too much.

6891. What you mean is that there is no profitable market for small side lines? -Yes, and they should have a local open market in the town. There are portions of the district which are first class for dairying.

6892. By Mr Venn: Do many of the farmers keep cows? -No, but some of them keep one or two. There is no particular breed in them. At the State farm you will see a breed of cattle that were originally Dexters, but you could not tell what they are now.

6893. By Mr Clarkson: Do you think this is likely to become a successful farming district? -Certainly, with mixed farming, but not with wheat alone. In the Eastern States the small settler can keep a few cows and a separator, and by this means can keep his home in food; but here there is nothing except wheat, except in a few instances.

6894. By the Chairman: Would there be enough cream available to enable a small creamery to be run? -Not at present. The first thing that should be done would be for the Government to freely encourage settlers to keep more cows, with the idea of subsequently establishing a dairying industry and working a factory.

6895. By Mr Clarkson: Do you think the usefulness of the State farm here could be increased? -Of course, but they should breed bulls, horses, and sheep. This is what was done on State farms in the Eastern States, and the stud animals were let out to the farmers. It is by somewhat similar means that dairying could be well established here.

(The Witness Retired.)

Richard George Kelly, Manager for Dalgety & Co., Geraldton, sworn and examined:

6896. By the Chairman: Have you been long resident in Geraldton? -Yes, for 18 years, and during that time I have seen the rise of the agricultural industry in this district.

6897. How do you think the farmers are getting on as a class? -Pretty badly.

6898. What is the predisposing cause? -Allowing men to go on the land without any means, and in the second place giving them money for the work which they were supposed to be doing for improvements. They were paid more money then they were entitled to, and they tackled the work which was easiest.

6899. By Mr Clarkson: Was that due to the lack of overseeing? -I will not express any opinion on that point, but I know instances where scrub land was rolled down and where more money was paid for that then there was work done. In the first place men were put on the land without means. They had enough to pay the first six months rent to enable them to take up the land, and they lived on the money provided by the Government for clearing and had to depend on the proceeds of their own labour to exist. You know with what result. I think they went for the easiest land. Sandplain is all right as a stand-by. Last year, however, the man that had no means had no chance of succeeding.

6900. By the Chairman: In this district have you not had harder circumstances to contend with—