7148. What is the wheat growing capacity of that land well cultivated with a fair proportion of fallow and worked in a businesslike way?—I think they would expect 16 or 17 bushels to the acre.

7149. Do you say that 15-bushel land should not pay £2 an acre?—A man going on there now with a few hundred pounds cannot do it. If he could clear and crop it straight away he might do it, but where there are nearly 200 acres under crop that is carrying the burden of all the rest of the land.

7150. Do you know any 16-bushel land in Australia that can be bought for £2?—I cannot say.

7151. By Mr PAYNTER: What is the average cost of clearing here?—To take timber off I think about 25s., and for years you have stone picking to do, which must be added on to it. On such land as that the wear and tear on machinery is very great.

(The witness retired.)

THOMAS ATKINSON, Farmer, "Bywell," Fernlea, Upper Chapman, sworn and examined:

7152. To the CHAIRMAN: I have 1,000 acres of land. I came out here in 1912, three of my sons have preceded me, and I brought another out with me. I have prepared a written statement for the benefit of the Commission, setting out some facts that may be of interest to them. I decided to come to Australia because after many years I found in England the land did not become my own. The price of the land here was 10s. I have 850 acres of good cultivable land, and eight miles cartage to Nalba. We have only cleared 20 acres. I fenced in one homestead block with two wires and have just struck water this week. It is rather brackish as far as we have gone, but that may be due to the fumes of the gelignite. It will depend on the report of this Commission and the effect the Government give to their recommendations whether we remain on the land or not. The question is in the balance. I have three sons with me.

7153. Have you any suggestions which might be given attention to with regard to fostering settlement in the district?—The principal mistake I have observed is in permitting men to settle on areas a long distance from the railway if they have no prospect of making wheat growing pay. As regards the system of farming, I have gone carefully into the matter. I cannot see that wheat growing alone is sufficiently attractive to induce men to take up land. If they went in for mixed farming and utilised straw as we do in England, there is a living to be had, and the fertility of the soil should be such as to enable sheep, pigs, and other stock to be fed. There should be mixed farming, and I am acquainted with men who are not under the Industries Assistance Board who are compelled to pay cash for all they get, and they cannot carry on at 1s. 6d. a bushel. I take 1,000 bags to my siding and the agent inspects my wheat, and if it is F.A.Q. he passes it and gives me a certificate for 3s.—that is £450 I take it to my bank and they charge my bank £450. I recoup the bank and they draw on the Commonwealth bank.

7154. That is a matter for the Wheat Board, and the price has been arranged at 4s. 6s, namely, 1s. 6d. in three separate instalments. Would it not be well to let the Board finish their negotiations which were temporarily suspended owing to the Cabinet crisis before formulating any further suggestions on this heading? The leading brains of Australia are trying to make the best possible scheme?—At 1s. 6d. the first instalment and the balance being uncertain as to time of payment, men will not know quite what to do.

7155. By Mr CLARKSON: Do you mean that the payments should be made with wheat bonds?—Yes, as soon as wheat is sold the Commonwealth Government will receive payment and the bank will cash the bonds.

7156. By the CHAIRMAN: You want to be in a position to take the receipt for, say, 1,000 bags to your bank and draw against it, but it is announced that in view of the shortage of cash the first advance would only be 1s. 6d. followed by two subsequent advances of a similar amount?—No cash is needed. If an advance of, say, 3s. a bushel is made, the Commonwealth wheat notes might be issued for them and they would not affect finance at all. Negotiable wheat certificates should be issued by the Commonwealth for all wheat. To my mind, it would be better if the farmers went in more for binding and threshing.

7157. By Mr PAYNTER: How would you overcome the labour difficulty?—There would be no more difficulty than with the harvester and stripper. My sons have only one and a-half days harvesting done and are being kept idle by weather, whereas if they had a binder they could be working the whole time. I would suggest that the loans from the Agricultural Bank should be extended. Take my case. I have 320 acres on which there is a good deal of feed. If I had fencing and water I could put stock on, but I might be in such a position that I cannot afford wire without a loan. Under the present conditions I must do certain work before I can obtain a fencing loan. Why not make the advance as the beginning if the circumstances warrant it? Then we have had our rents reduced lately. If I had to choose between five years' exemption and a reduction of rent I think, in the interests of the State, I would get exemption.

(The witness retired.)

WILLIAM DUNN, Farmer, Upper Chapman, sworn and examined:

7158. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been in the district for six years. I am a native of South Australia and had a little farming experience with different farmers at Mitcham and Clarendon. I hold 1,600 acres of C.P. and paid 10s. for some and 20s. for others. Nine hundred acres would be cultivable land. I am three miles from the railway and have 500 acres cleared. It is all fenced and subdivided into six paddocks and is sheep proof, with the exception of one mile. I have any amount if water in one well. I am a married man with no family, and I have a five-roomed galvanised iron house and a verandah all round. I have bush stables and a small implement shed made of iron. I have a full plant and 10 horses, three cows, three calves, seven pigs and some poultry. My brother and I put £1,000 into the property and we trade as Dunn Bros. There has been no loan in our name except what our predecessor had with the Agricultural Bank. The Industries Assistance Board paid last year's rents and I paid the interest only. The amount due to them