7607. By Mr. PAYNTER: Were any rates struck for the water and collected from the settlers?—Yes; and I may also state that these water supplies actually started land settlement.
    
    
7608. By the CHAIRMAN: Did the Government charge any rates?—No, not in my time.

   7609. Are there any pioneering districts which you have not supplied with the eight-mile service?—I do not know, as my connection ended three years ago. But Mr. Neughar will be in a position to answer that, as he has been connected with the matter the whole time since the beginning.

    7610. Are any of the districts that you provided with tanks and wells now served by mains?—To a limited degree; for instance, there is the Dowerin-Merredin line and Hines' Hill.

    7611. There is only one place on the line that is connected with the main?—Yes, in the country between the Dowerin-Merredin line and the eastern line, we provided tanks, and there are branch lines running northwards.

    7612. Only one, I think, one to Goomalling and one to Nungarin?—I think there were others? Is there not a map available showing these branches? I could make the matter clear if there were. We had tanks right out previous to these branches. We also sunk tanks previous to the extensions to the main line within this zone.

    7613. By Mr. CLARKSON: Would you consider it practicable to suggest, with a view of ultimately doing away with the extensions when their life runs out, that settlers should receive advances to enable them to put down tanks?—I think it is a very good idea and would be practicable.

    7614. Mr. NEUGHAR: I think the settlers in the newer localities want more assistance than those in the older areas.

    7615. Is it practicable to suggest a scheme that will do away with extensions when the life runs out, and ends the tax on the settlers whenever the land is sufficiently good holding ground?—The land is good enough, and there is no reason why they could not find suitable sites along that area.

    7616. By the CHAIRMAN: Have you had experience on that particular line?

    7617. Mr. NEUGHAR: About twelve years ago I worked northwards as far as the Murchison in this connection.

    7618. The point is that the settlers should be able to provide their own water supply when the mains wear out?—Yes.

    7619. By Mr. CLARKSON: We have already taken evidence out in that locality, and there were settlers who told us that if there were a number to be constructed tanks could be put down from 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. a yard, and that must be a more economical way of supplying water than the present scheme of extensions.

    7620. Mr. NEUGAHR: Where we have been working away from the goldfields line north, we have found catchments which were quarter and half a mile distant from the ideal spot for dams. Assistance should be given in the direction of sending out experienced officials to select dam sites, and there should be Government supervision when they are being put down.

    7621. They would have to follow these lines because it would mean a large expenditure of public money, and the work should be under strict supervision and proper control?—If the preliminaries as to the site and size of catchment and the method of placing tanks, and the manner of putting drains in, were provided, it would be an excellent thing. But it is only by contouring that it can be done properly. It can of course be done by boring rods and a mason's level.

    7622. By the CHAIRMAN: Has the Wongan line been supplied within the eight mile radius?—Yes.

    7623. We visited one well ten miles south of Mullewa, which is on a reserve?—That is not one of our wells, as all of ours are five by three and rectangular. We have no difficulty in finding water from Mullewa for 45 miles to the south. But when we got to what we call No. 5 well it became difficult to get water.

    7624. By Mr. CLARKSON: It has been suggested that one could go through salt water and eventually get good stock water at a depth?—But the difficulties are great and the results problematical, from the records of attempts made.

    7625. I think someone informed us that he had put down with a hand bore 30 odd bores as deep as 80 feet, and that he got salt water from 35 to 80 feet. Eventually within a space as large as this room, where there were two salt bores, he found one that was fit for human consumption?—In the Wongan Hills-Mullewa, most of the settlers look in the gully and on the jam flats for water. We found in boring north of Dallwallinu that it was better to get into the tamar country and half-way up the slope. The surface is hard for six inches or a foot in depth with four to eight feet of conglomerate. But 60 per cent. of our wells are in that class of country. The boring expenses are high on account of the ironstone on the surface, but if there is any water about it will be got there.  

    7626. The CHAIRMAN: That is like the well at Morowa.

    7627. By Mr. CLARKSON: The creeks in the salmon gums country are the last places in which to look for water?—Yes.

    7628. By the CHAIRMAN: Can the Wongan settlers provide themselves with water?—Yes, but I think they want a little guidance. It would not 

cost very much to have a supervision or foreman to call round at the holdings and select sites. At a small cost we could advise the settler provided he supplied the horse or conveyance to take one out to his holding. We could select what was likely to be the best holding ground for him. A hand auger could be used to put down four holes and one hole in the centre. He could keep the stuff that he took out of the holes and we would be able to tell him if his land was good holding ground or not. When he had finished with the plant he could return it to us and it would not cost him more than 35s. or £2, and that tool would do for a number of settlers. I am inclined to think that if the diameter of the plants was reduced one inch for ordinary boring to 100 feet it would cheapen the freight and the cost of man power.

    7629. That would amount to a suggestion that the Agricultural Bank should work in the direction of supplying the settlers with water in conjunction with the Water Supply Department and arrange for the services of an officer, to be charged to the borer before selection of the site?

—The officers already