7949. By Mr. VENN: How many sheep do you carry?-- Six hundred, but we have another small property in the name of my wife and one of my sons. That is how I pull through with 600 sheep. For three months in the year they must get a little feed.

7950. Did you carry that number of sheep in 1914?-- No, but we could have done. the partial failure of crops is a great disadvantage. My idea is that a man without money should go to work before taking up land. I do not say that farming is an operation for a clerk. A person who is not used to work would not have the same chance as one who was, but if his heart is in the work he can do better for himself on the farm than in an office. I do not consider any settler is as good as the Australian settler. I am quite satisfied with my prospects and future of the districts, but mixed farming we must have. _________________

GEORGE PATRICK RENNIE, Farmer, Bruce Rock, sworn and examined: 7951. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been here?-- Six years. I had practically no previous experience of farming, but I was a nurseryman and seedsman in Ballarat, a member of the firm of Laing, Rennie, & Co. I put in for a block at one time but did not get it. However, I got a block at Morawa, and Mr. Sippe here got a block of 1,800 acres, and I decided not to go to Morawa and forfeited it. Mr. Sippe said I could have 500 acres of his land and I agreed, and I am farming 500 acres in his name. I have a legal document showing it to be mine. It is all fenced, 350 acres cleared, but I have no water supply. I have sheds, but I have only got a cultivator. I give Mr. Sippe my labour for the use of his machinery. I have a house, and when I came here I had £300 capital. I am right up to date with my payments. I obtained a loan from the bank through Mr. Sippe for clearing and the Agricultural Department have no information as to my being on the land.

7952. Have you any statement to make or any grievance, or other representations to make?-- There is a lot of wodgil land on my block, which is no use to me - about 200 acres in all.

7953. the Board which inquired into the Wodgil land has recommended certain reductions in such a case as yours?-- I cropped 25 acres of wodgil and used 100lbs. of manure for a return of five bushels. That was in a normal season. Mr. Sippe has a lot of this class of land and finds it a burden. We have to put work and seed into it, but I do not intend to do so again.

7954. By Mr. VENN: A special committee, appointed by the Government, has reported that that class of land is utterly values.

7955. By the CHAIRMAN: You should write Under Secretary for Lands and ask what redress you can have, and then you will be able to see what they are prepared to do for you?-- Can settlers get wire netting, and will you recommend it?-- We have about 100 turkeys, but dingoes are playing havoc with them.

7955a. Your best plan is to approach the Agricultural Department. _______________

FERDINAND CHARLES FARRELL, Farmer, Yarding, sworn and examined: 7956. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?-- Five years. Previously I was a builder. My wife and I hold 1,700 acres, one-half of which is first class and the balance scrub plain, with all varieties of mallee and a but of lake country. Under the revised prices 680 acres cost 15s. and the balance 10s. I am five miles from a railway. My water supply consists of one dam 6ft. deep, containing 800 cubic yards, which is not covered. We put it down ourselves. I am a married man, with six children, and three of them drive nine miles to school at Ardath every day. It is a tremendous task for them. I wrote to the Department to say the daylight saving proposition would make them leave an hour earlier. I have a good weatherboard house, full set of implements, 12 working horses, a cow, and about 14 pigs. I have about seven miles of fencing, which includes 700 acres; 725 acres are cleared. I have about 500 acres in crop. I owe the Agricultural Bank about £1,000. I owe the I.A.B. about £200 to £300 more for bills due on machinery, and so on; so I owe in all about £1,300 upon 700 acres.

7957. By Mr. PAYNTER: How much of your crop is fallow?-- One hundred and thirty acres. I believe in fallow. I use 50lbs. of seed to the acre and 50 to 80lbs. of super, but that is not sufficient, I find. I should put Gluyas first and for the poorer country Federation. For hay crops I prefer Alpha or Correll's My highest average was in 1913 when I got 12 bushels. This year I have about seven bushels. It would take 12 bushels to make the crop payable. I use a 10-furrow Shearer disc plough and a three-furrow mouldboard, with which I do eight acres a day, and if the ground is heavy we take off a couple of discs. We do about eight acres a day. We have a 17-tyne cultivator, which does 15 acres, and a 14-run drill that does 14 acres a day. I have not used harrows. My binder cuts about 10 acres a day. I have a 6ft. Sunshine harvester, which we work all day with two shifts and average about 12 acres. Larger implements would be good if there were sufficient cleared land available. It would pay well to clear larger areas and install larger plant. My son and I can comfortably work 500 acres, which would mean 1,000 acres cleared. I disagree with the majority of farmers in regard to the tariff. The best way to effect economy is to have local production, and I favour a duty on everything that we can produce in Australia, in order to make the country self-supporting. Further, it is the best way of cheapening the commodity. the duty goes into the pockets of the importers. That is what happened in Victoria. When there were several makers the plough cost £22, but when everyone manufactured it, it came down to £14. The reaper and binder comes in free, but it has never altered in price. Victoria sent an expert home in connection with farming implements, and he found that what was sold in America for £26 cost £56 in Victoria, and they had to be obtained from agents. It is easier for importers to combine than for manufacturers to combine. Look at the terms the manufacturers give and the bad debts they incur. Compare that with the huge loss on the State machinery. Bulk handling, from what I have read, would be a great advantage. Almost any method would be better than the rotten bags we have been using for two or three years.