JOHN THOMAS CONWAY, Assistant U.S., Lands Department:

7820-1. By the CHAIRMAN: I wish to ask with reference to the classification of lands along the various water extensions from the Coolgardie main. Have you the original plans in the office under which the land was sold and do they disclose the area of first, second, and third class land?—To a certain extent. At one time we sold land indiscriminately at 10s. per acre. It is assumed to be first class and in those cases no classification exists. It was naturally the pick of the land and it would be first class, but when Mr Mitchell became Minister he started the classification scheme and since that time we have the classification of everything.

7822. If we wanted the classification of 50 farms, 10 of which were under the old system, they would be first class and the remaining 40 would be mixed first, second, and third class?—Yes, there would be no difficulty in supplying you with the information except the amount of work and time involved in the process.

7823. The point is, it would not involve re-classification?—No. I think we could get you practically the whole of it.

7824. By Mr CLARKSON: The only areas we want are those adjacent to the goldfields water supply?—We have the information but it will take some little time to get it out.

(the witness retired.)

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The Commission adjourned.