the first week in April, and the portion ploughed was the superior crop. I sow one bushel of seed to the acre, and 60lbs. to 70lbs. of super. My highest yield was 18 bushels over 260 acres in 1913. This year my crop should go about four bags. To pay expenses I require 10 bushels to the acre before I get anything for myself. I do most of my own work, but I have one man employed most of the time. Bulk handling would reduce the farmers' costs. The tariff, I suppose, had to be endured, but it affects us adversely, and certainly machinery should come in free.

7179. To Mr. PAYNTER: Last year I had severe rust and blight. I have not pickled my wheat for a couple of years. I am going to do so next year. I find it dangerous in late sowing. I grade my wheat but I have not tried any fodder crops or artificial grasses. I grow only a few vegetables for myself, and have a few fowls, but they are not profitable for a single man. I think 1,000 acres is a fair amount for a settler to hold in this district. I think that a man single-handed should be able to do 250 acres annually. Co-operation would be a good thing, but I do not think the price of the land is at all satisfactory, nor are the land conditions, because in the event of failure it takes years before relief can be afforded. The amount of rent is my personal trouble and if it could be deferred it would be a great help, and is the only solution of the difficulties of the settlers on Bowes. Take my own case: the Bowes area was thrown open on 20th February, so it would be impossible to get a crop in that year, and by the time we were ready to crop 2½ years had elapsed. I think a very big alteration in these matters should be effected.

7180. By Mr. VENN: Do you think wheat farming without stock would pay in this district?—No; I would reduce the wheat and have more stock.

7181. By the CHAIRMAN: If you had a fair crop this year, say 12 bushels, and had £1,080 in proceeds, would you be able to pay your back rents?—Yes, but you must deduct horse feed. I myself could do so, but I am a single man and have been accustomed to living hard. I have been five years here and have never been away from the farm. Of course, If I had a fair return I would be in a good position, whereas the rest of the farmers here might not be.

7182. Your total liabilities are £630 and you have 550 acres cleared? I consider that you have done exceedingly well?—I have not saved myself.

7183. What is the carrying capacity of your 7s. land?—Nil. There is some bad land on it. It is shallow cement country and as full of poison as there are hairs on a cat's back, but as the land adjoins the Bowes estate they charged a high price for it. The largest half will only be of use to me as it is a range of ironstone ridges. I hope one of these days to crop some of the poison land. When the poison is grubbed out and the holes are filled in and stamped down it is all right. I think the railway are a little slipshod in their methods. For instance if you get a truck of manure you get the invoice to say it is at Fremantle and you have to keep going backwards and forwards to the siding before it arrives. Could not the Department advise a man by letter when he is at a distance from the railway so as to enable him to go and meet the stuff when it arrives and not have to waste time going there repeatedly for nothing? The same thing happens when a man wants a truck for sending loading away. I have spent many days going backwards and forwards in order to load a truck. You order them but you do not know when you are going to get them and the Department charges you demurrage, although you go there several times to try and get your stuff, unless you have someone there to unload for you. Surely the Department might advise one when the stuff will arrive. There are little difficulties too in connection with the duplicates of machinery. I wanted some parts and sent them away on Saturday. I went in on Tuesday but there was no parcel for me and I had to go to Geraldton for it, and owing to the train service I was kept there till Friday. All machinery parts should be sent away promptly. If they were more careful and parcels were received up to time, the farmer would be saved a lot of time and trouble. The rents are far too high here but I understand there is a Bill before the House to give some relief in this direction to settlers.

7184. By Mr. CLARKSON: What is the maximum price that you think should be charged on land which will give prospects of success. I refer rather to repurchased estates?—It is hard to say, but there should be a system of deferred payments which might be spread over a period of years and give us some relief. The interest in our case is half the total sum. If the interest was six per cent., it would be a different matter but half of our amount is interest and the other half is capital. Instalments and interest amount to the same thing.

(The witness retired.)

ALBERT WILLIAM CANNON, Milton Farm, Bowes, sworn and examined:

7185. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been four years here and was brought up on a farm in the old country. I hold 929 acres on Bowes repurchased estate. The price of the land was 22s. per acre and my annual instalments amount to £79 14s. 6d. I am five miles from the railway. I have 400 acres cleared and my land is ring-fenced and subdivided into four paddocks, three of which are sheep-proof. My water supply consists of three big wells. I am a married man, but I have not been able to bring my family up country as yet. I have no house and no sheds, but I have a set of implements and four working horses, but no other live stock. I had £30 when I started, and I borrowed £625 from the Agricultural Bank, and from the I.A.B., for rents, about £80. The other debts will be deferred rents amount to £120, besides the I.A.B., and my machinery and renewal bills amounting to £400.

7186-7. How did you take up 900 acres of land with £30?—I went to a neighbour and asked him for a year's rent, and then I reckoned that I could clear the land from the Agricultural Bank.

7188. Was not that taking a risk?—The Government pamphlets told us that no capital was needed. I was here in one good year, four years ago, when the wheat yield was so good that I thought I could make good also. We were assured that droughts were unknown and that you could not go wrong, but since then we have had two bad seasons, the first year a drought and the last year rust.