turns. An improvement could be made in the methods of farming. If a man is going to fallow he must get down. Personally, I knocked my horses up by ploughing deep, still I got wheat when my neighbours got none. In New South Wales and Victoria I have seen men scamping it in and the following year ploughing it in, and the latter always secured the crop. I give my land five inches cultivation with a spring tooth after deep ploughing. I would like to plough it over again instead of cultivating, if time permitted.

7270. To the CHAIRMAN: Do you think the Government is doing its best to aid the settlers to keep on the land?—I am sure of it, but perhaps it would be well if the rents could be held over for a few years. The bank pays my rents and I have to pay interest to them for the accommodation. That is like paying interest to the Lands Department. (The witness retired.)

HENRY CARSON, M.L.C., Farmer, Hutt, sworn and examined:

7271. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been settled here for six years. I had previously no experience except that I have lived among farmers. Our family owns 5,600 acres, of which 2,000 acres are good cultivable land, situated opposite the siding. There are 700 acres cleared on the original holding. I have recently taken over a property from the Agricultural Bank, which I have included in that area. 300 acres of which were cleared. It is all fenced. The water supply is good and plentiful. I have six wells in all. I am a married man with four sons, and have a six roomed house, a wood and iron stable, which does for implements also. I have a full set of farming implements, 13 working horses, 400 sheep, one cow, three pigs, 50 fowl. It is difficult to give the total amount invested in the property. The property I have taken over had a debt on it of £1,200. I have secured it for a boy of mine who is at the war, and who is to be married. I owe the Agricultural Bank for the property £1,200. I have lost £1,000 and have another £1,000 invested in stick, 5,600 acres have cost about £5,000 to date. 7272. What is your opinion of the rainfall?—It has been very rapid lately. The old settlers told us the Yuba was quite safe. Personally, I am satisfied that we have had abnormal conditions during the last five years. The gross annual rainfall has been about 15 inches and the net winter rainfall from eight inches to 10 inches, but accurate figures should be obtainable from the Meteorological Department. Messrs. Main and Chick supplied the figures to the Department. 7273. What assistance have you received from the experts of the Department of Agriculture as to the best seed to sow and the best methods to follow?—I am sorry to say, very sorry indeed. I do not think the Department are doing effective work at the present time, and I consider that it is a great mistake for Mr Sutton not to give his whole attention to the wheat area.

7274. Do you think it is necessary to have a co-ordinating authority to turn the energies of the Department to practical account, an authority who would say to Mr Sutton for instance, "This district must be looked after, the settlers are using wrong methods"?—I think it would be an advantage.

7275. The officials seem to be a law unto themselves, and to be working in a heterogeneous manner?—I think Mr Sutton should be kept to his work.

7276. By Mr CLARKSON: What did you pay for your land?—the original holding was classed at 20s. 6d. and 19s. 6d. It is now 14s. 6d. The railway has taken a little cut out of the 1,632 acres. The 3,225 acres was a grazing lease. I secured it for £180 from a man who was in the hands of trustees. It was 6s. an acre sand-plain. the Department will not reduce that price, although it is far too high. I have 305 acres in crop, and I let 130 acres on shares with a man who has put in 105 acres of it. I think I had 180 acres of fallow and it looks very much better than the other. I am a firm believer in fallow and believe it is the only hope in this country.

7277. If fallow were generally adopted in the district to what extent would it raise the average?—Four or five bushels at lease. I sow one bushel to the acre in both light and heavy land and 70lbs. of super. on all the land. I had 16 bushels on an average in 1913, over, I think, 200 acres, and I expect this year an average of 12 or 14 bushels.

7278. How much have you ready for next year?—Two hundred acres. I think the early wheats in some cases are the best, but I always had good results from Federation until two years ago. Until this year I used a four-furrow plough, but we have an eight-disc now. The use of larger machinery would reduce our costs very considerably, but our country is broken and you could not do such good work here as can be done elsewhere. The bulk handling would undoubtedly reduce costs and there will be no difficulty at all in getting wheat to the siding, but the tariff affects the industry very seriously, and certainly farming implements should be admitted free and the railway freights should be considerably reduced. My last machine cost £10 to land here.

7279. Do you think that the freights on the necessaries of the agricultural community should be made as light as possible, and the Railway Department should not be run on the lines which make it an absolute vital principle that they must pay irrespective of whether their charges are prohibitive or not?—One would need to go into it closely so that the man producing should be treated as lightly as possible.

7280. To Mr PAYNTER— I had rust last year, but I rarely pickle my wheat. I do not grade it. I made an attempt to grow fodder crops but my efforts were unsuccessful. We have some fruit trees, but have not given them much attention, still I think they will do all right. One can grow anything in the way of vegetables here. I have not gone in for pig raising. I pay wages 35s. a week with board and lodging, and I cannot complain of the class of labour available. They work from eight to nine hours a day. My boy has done most of the work, with some little assistance. The farmer, to make a decent living in this district, must do so with mixed farming, and should not hold less than 2,000 acres. A man, single handed, could crop 300 acres. There is no doubt that co-operation among farmers would be a good thing but the problem is a difficult one, which hinges on finance. Finance is a far greater difficulty than bringing them together.