work. We have occupied four months so far in our investigations and you can rely upon us that this Commission understands the problems of the man on the land, and as soon as we can we shall report accordingly.

7845. My. PAYNTER: After your report is handed in we will not be responsible any further.

7846. By the CHAIRMAN: We are dealing particularly with the newer areas?—I may say that some of our new farmers have had a hard time here. I know one man in the district who, although he has sufficient to meet his liabilities with, nevertheless the bailiffs are in possession. Can anything be done in this matter? The man is not on the Industries Assistance Board, but is battling on his own. I think he may be in the Agricultural Bank. He is a neighbour of mine named William Toleman, and Sandover & Co. have just put the bailiffs in.

7847. Tell him to write to us particulars and we will see what can be done?—He called a meeting of his creditors, and with the exception of two they attended and decided to let him go on. Mr. J. L. B. Weird was to be the trustee. However, owing to some mistake or other the proposition fell through and those creditors were satisfied to let him take his harvest off. He is harvesting at the present time, but last Saturday the bailiff took possession of the wheat and made him take it to the siding. If they were going to close on him they did they not do it in the first instance? It is not as though the man were a waster; he is a hard worker. I have come in 20 miles to tell you about this, and I will get him to write to you and state the particulars on my return.

(The witness retired.)

THOMAS HENRY ARGUS (Argus & Walker), farmer, Quairading, sworn and examined:

7848. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been settled in this district?—Nine years, and I hold 1,900 acres between myself and my partner. The price of the land ranges from 15s. down to 9s. an acre. Half of it is first class. Three hundred acres of it is second, and the balance is third class land. It is three miles from the railway. The whole of it is fenced and subdivided into about 10 paddocks. There are 1,100 acres cleared and the balance is rung. The water supply is a 32ft. well and three soaks. The well is in jam and york gum country, and provides a very good permanent supply. I am married, with four children, the eldest of whom is 12 years of age. The nearest doctor use to be at Dangin, but is now 35 miles distant at Beverley. I have a four-roomed wood and iron house, with stabling for 12 horses, and a machinery shed in which I also store chaff. I have a full set of implements, 15 working horses, over 700 sheep, and 24 pigs. I deal with the W.A. Bank There is no reason to complain of their treatment. We have also dealt with the Agricultural Bank, but the W.A. Bank took over our business. I value the property in normal times at £3 an acre. Our overdraft is £1,700.

7849. By Mr. PAYNTER: What area do you crop?—Usually 550 acres annually, and we have gradually worked up to that. This year we have 500 acres in fallow. In the early part of the season we usually plough about six inches in the deep land. We generally plough it and cultivate it in the spring time and again before seeding. On the sand-plain we use about 120lbs. of super to the acre and 75 to 80lbs. on the heavier land. The earlier wheats in this district require thicker growing. We favour Alpha, of which we sow about 1½ bushels to the acre, while of the ordinary wheats we would put in from one bushel to one and a-quarter bushels.

7850. Do you think that the selection of grain and the purity of the seed are matters which would affect the farmers' position?—Yes.

7851. Should the farmer select his seed from his own crops? The wheat that gets acclimatised in one district generally gives the best results in that district, and it is doubtful whether wheats from other districts would give as good a yield ultil they were acclimatised. Our highest average yield was 19 bushels in 1909. Three years ago we had the same average, while this year we reckon upon 14 bushels. In my opinion it requires 30s. to 35. per acre to pay the expenses of putting in and taking off a crop. We use a four-furrow mould-board plough. In ploughing deep in heavy land we have five horses and do about four acres a day. We use a 17-tooth spring disc cultivator, and do from 12 to 17 acres daily. We have two drills, a 13 and a 17, and do about one acre to the hoe. Sometimes we use harrows. With a four-leaf harrow we do about 18 acres a day. With a binder we cut about 12 acres. We have been using a 6ft. McKay harvester with a fair satisfaction and it averages about eight acres a day. I consider that the tariff has a retarding effect on the industry and has raised the price of all our requirements. Bulk handling would be a district advantage to the industry, and I do not think it would be difficult to devise a means of conveying the harvest to the siding with a table-top wagon, say, the sides of which could be bolted on the wagon and removed when no longer required.

7852. That will require two teams at work?—Yes, and you would probably have to construct a floor on the ground and elevate the seed form that to the wagon, but then your bags could be used over and over again, although the present class of bags would not stand that treatment.

7853-4. One of our paddocks suffered last year from rust. We grade our wheat. We have run sheep on the crop, but have not put in any fodder crops. Fruit-trees seem to be doing well and vegetables also, but in the middle of a dry season there is not sufficient moisture to keep them going. We have more pigs than we require for our own use. Wages run to about 35s. a week and keep at the present, but 30s. is a fair thing. My man averages about eight hours' work a day in the field, with of course extra work in looking after his horses before going out. No man should hold anything less than 1,000 acres here if he wants to make a living. A man devoting himself exclusively to a team should do 300 acres annually. No doubt co-operation would be a good thing, and there has been by a local company formed here with a view of combining our agencies and putting them in the hands of one firm. The land conditions seem to me