Part 6

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will go ahead in dairying before the South-West. The rabbit pest is getting a menace, but Mr. Lefroy told me last night that wire netting would be supplied to farmers on extended terms. I am told that in Victoria the rabbit inspectors are local men and not Government officials, and they have had a long experience in that State; but the rabbit should first of all be killed off the Government Reserves. The Chairman explained the proposal he had made to the Government in regard to the rabbit question. I have a number of books and publications dealing with bulk handling in Canada and the United States which I should be glad to place at the disposal of the Commission; and I am a firm believer in co-operation, and have know instances of its success locally where one neighbour would help another in sinking a well and in return would be helped in his own work. I consider that the Agricultural Bank advances should be liberalised and extended to ten years instead of five as at present, and I should be glad to place at your disposal a complete set of the railway freight in the Eastern States.

                                                                          (The witness retired.)

ALFRED NAPOLEON PIESSE, M.L.A., Farmer, Toodyay, sworn and examined:

7735. You have been associated with the water question from its inception and we should be glad if you would make a statement to us and offer any suggestions that you think will be helpful to us in considering the question generally?—I was first brought into contact with the water rating question in my official capacity as the member for the district. Since then I have had other opportunities of becoming acquainted with the workings of the Water Supply Department and with the tax. I have always held the view that, whilst it has been the aim of past Governments to advance the mining industry by means of the Goldfields Water Scheme, it is also safe ground to work upon in regard to the agricultural water supply; but it must be remembered that goldfields have not been called upon to pay interest and sinking fund on their scheme. When the agriculturalists got water they were asked to provide interest and sinking fund and, as you know, the extensions were carried out under an agreement, and the people, owing to their extreme necessity for a water supply, were ready to sign anything at all to get water in the hope that subsequently they might have the rate substantially reduced. As regards the Eastern agricultural areas, the rate is much too high, and I am convinced that it is impossible to carry on farming operations successfully and pay the rate. Further than that, when these proposals were mooted they were submitted to a sort of referendum of those whom it would affect, and it was understood that if the majority were in favour it would be carried out, and the result was that those who did not want the water were obliged to pay exactly the same rate as those who did want it. I know in one instance a Mr. Waine was called upon to pay £33 a year and the pipe was not within ten chains of his boundary, but he could not possibly afford to pay for the pipe which would give him the connection. Two years afterwards he abandoned his holding, which is situated near Nungarin. The rate is too high and the condition are unfair. It seems strange that I, a member of Parliament, should have to appeal to a Royal Commission to help us to gain redress of our grievances which I have again and again brought forward before the House and before individual members; but I have found this, that the majority of members of the Lower House are not conversant with the farming community or the conditions surrounding the operations of farming. For instance, the other day several of us waited on Mr. Connolly, but we did not get a sympathetic reply from him because he was not conversant with the conditions under which the men labour. The tax is much too high and the holding fee of £5 is wholly unfair. With regard to the Eastern areas the tax should be reduced at least one-half. You are in especially good position to judge if they are able to pay even half the tax; but the £5 fee should certainly be abolished. It is only a matter of time when the settlers will have made their own conservation to carry them over, but of course it is a matter of time and also of money to store sufficient water, and then there will be no need for extensions; and, further, although the Department makes the connections I might point out that it does not guarantee the supply of water. Take Goomalling: the majority of the people agreed to a rate of ten shillings per thousand payment for water. That is an excessive figure. I never advised them to sign it, but they did sign it, with the desire of overcoming the necessity for water and intended to subsequently agitate for a reduction in the rate. I do not refer to the farming area, but to the Goomalling town men. The farmers were, I think, taxed at 5s. I would stress this point, that whilst it was thought necessary and justifiable to carry out such a great scheme as that of the Goldfields Water Supply—which after all is necessarily of a temporary character compared with the agricultural industry—the farmer is asked to pay interest and sinking fund while carrying out the development which will proceeds for centuries to come. However, constant dropping will wear away a stone, and the Government must be convinced of the injustice of that rate by constantly pressing it upon their notice. With regard to town supplies on the Avon, extensions have been carried out to Toodyay, York, and Beverley. When putting those extensions through, the municipality of Toodyay agreed to pay interest and sinking fund on the scheme. The late Government on coming into power, with the advise doubless of their responsible officers, introduced an amending Act giving power to impose the acre tax and the holding fee. I have asked for the papers in relation to the Toodyay connection but the minister declined to lay them on the Table, and we did not have the voting strength necessary to compel the introduction of the papers and so we did not get them. Not one farm requires the water scheme. Since the rate has been imposed the connection has been made and they have used some of the water, but they would gladly submit to a disconnection if they could be relieved.

7736. Some of them pay £28 and £33 at 2d. an acre. Mr. Wilding's comes to more than £60 per year. The tax is grossly unfair. I consider that the water supply at towns like York, Beverley, and Toodyay should be placed on the same footing as the other towns. The most unfair thing that the small far