7404. By Mr Paynter: In regard to new areas, would it be an advantage to have an exemption from rents which could be utilised as capital on their own property?—That would not apply to share farmers or freeholders. That would not be a fair tax. It is only taking it from Peter and making Paul pay.

7405. What difference would it make to him if he had five years free of rent?—At the present time the Government wants money, and if the holder of the land is to be let off, would they not put the taxation on to someone else?

7406. By the Chairman: If the revenue is diminished it must be made up in some direction?—Exactly.

7407. By Mr Paynter: Would it not be an advantage for the man taking up a thousand acres to have it free of rent? -It would be a fine thing, andit would encourage people to go on the land.

(The Witness Retired.)

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Percy Thomas Briggs, Manager for S.F. Moore, Storekeeper, Mingenew, Morawa and Dongarra, sworn and examined:

7408. To the Chairman: I have been here between six and seven years. I had no previous experience of farming. I was previously storekeeping, and I am an accountant.

7408a. What has been your experience of the farmers within 15 miles of Mingenew?—I cannot say that it has been satisfactory altogether, because we have had set backs. Our firm carries a number of farmers, but they have been gradually weeded out and those who are left here now are in the way of getting ahead of things.

7409. So we may put it that the position of farming so far has been satisfactory, and is now improving?—Yes.

7410. What percentage of them have gone out?—It is hard to say, because we have been in business for 40 years. You know how some men will drag on. At Strawberry there were small holdings and they have all gone out, and it is a question of the survival of the fittest. About here the large estates are blocking farming. There are a few share farmers, but that is not altogether satisfactory agriculture. The terms of share farming I do not know, but both Messrs Gooch and Pearse have some share farmers on their properties. Mr Pearse's conditions are absolutely impossible, they are that a farmer should mortgage everything he has. I have seen one of the leases. I was instrumental in stopping clients of mine from going into it. Mr Pearse wants a man to mortgage not only his stock and plant employed in that particular block, but if he has any other farming properties he wants a mortgage over the lot. That was my experience in two instances. One I blocked by lodging a caveat and in the other case I advised them to not go on and they did not. If it turned out a failure Mr Pearse would take the property and leave a man stranded. From memory, I could not give you the terms. The man was named Farrell of Farrell Bros., Perinjori. Whether he has modified his conditions since I do not know. He has 5,000 or 6,000 acres cleared and we anticipated he would farm it, but people would not take it up locally. The Farrells are now farming their own land. One drawback to share farming is that the farmer cannot keep sheep, so he only gets a portion of the return. If the season is a failure, the landlord gets the stubble which is valuable, but Mr Gooch is a fair landlord in every way. He has a big share farming proposition of 1,700 acres held by Newton Bros. They are successful farmers. Mr Kerr has a number of farms under the share system.

7411. What are Mr Kerr's terms?—I do not know exactly, but Mr Kerr has Bickers and Dalgairns tenant farmers. Bickers is one of the hardest working farmers I know and he has concluded that it is no good share farming, although he admits that the conditions are as good as can be expected.

7412-13. By Mr Clarkson: What averages do these men get?—Our average for this district is about 14 bushels. Last year it was pretty well a failure on account of the rust. They ordered 2,500 bags of their wheat and they cancelled over half the quantity and had some bags left. This year the average will be five or six bags, which will be above the normal average.

7414. Have you gone into the question of the costs of your clients?—I have in connection with the boss's farm.

7415. How many bushels does it take to pay actual costs and depreciation?—A man would have to get his figures spread over the last five years, because last year or they year before feed was such an enormous item. I have bought and sold it up to £14 a ton, but, of course, that is abnormal. On the whole, I would prefer not to express an opinion.

7416. Would you express an opinion of the cost in normal years of putting in and taking off per acre?—The nearest I could get it under favourable conditions, would be for ploughing and seeding, 30s per acre, but those figures were got on a certain farm and I would not like to say anything about that. That is only the cost of putting it in; whether it is average cost, I would not like to say. Horse feed is a tremendous drawback. We got hay, but could not get it cut. I have to import chaff from below. The first year I got it from South Australia, compressed fodder, truck after truck. We have had one decent season since I have been here. It had been a matter of keeping expenses and credit as low as one can and carrying on hoping for better times. I do not do very much business with farmers. The bulk of my trade is with Morawa and Pintharooka. The men here pay fairly well. I might carry them on for six or seven months in the past, but I have stopped now. The bad ones have gone out. Last year from six places there would be about 16,000 bags of wheat. According to the statistics, the average for 16 years was 14 bushels to the acre. We always consider our average should be between 15 and 16. The biggest proposition here is 5,000 acres belonging to Yandanooka. That is fair all round country. It went 13 bushels last year.

7417. Would you consider they are making a profit if they got 15 bushels this year?—Yes, but then again that depends upon the price. Three years ago we sold wheat for 2s 9d net. The farmers have told me they are satisfied if they get up to 3s 6d a bag.