the water is fenced in they must die off. They are not breeding as they do in the Eastern States. Later on I intend to go in for sheep, as farming wheat is no use otherwise. The land will carry a sheep to the acre once it is broken up. Speaking generally, the catchments are good and the land is good holding ground. It is far ahead of South Australia and I prefer the life to mining. It is the healthiest life in the world if one can only make both ends meet.

8068. By the CHAIRMAN: We quite agree with you?—The main essential here is to have more liberal advances for clearing. One pound an acre for clearing is absurd, so was 25s. an acre. The second loan is 15s. and we had to pay 25s., a difference of 10s. an acre. Of course it is utterly impossible to get it done for 15s., and we had to pay the difference out of our own pockets when we could least afford it. The farmer should have a defined area of cleared land and sufficient money to clear that land before any other portion is undertaken. I may add that every one in that district is carting water. (The witness retired.)

The Commission adjourned _________________

MONDAY, 5th, FEBRUARY, 1917. (At Bilbarin (Wogerlin). Present: J.O. Giles, Esq. (Chairman), H.H. Paynter, Esq. | F.E. Venn, Esq.

WILLIAM HERBERT LEITCH (Leitch Bros.), Farmer, Nornakin Siding, via Corrigin, sworn and examined:

8069. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in the district?-- Two years, but I had six or seven years' experience in farming land and working for other farmers. I have 1,082 acres, the price of which is 14s. 6d. for 465 acres of first class land. The balance is sandplain and whitegum, and ironstone, for which we pay 5s. The property is three-quarters of a mile from the railway. There are five miles of boundary fence, three wires. 277 acre of mixed land are cleared and cropped. Of this 130 acres is first class land. There is a Government well on the place. There are two brothers of us, both single. We have a gimlet and iron house, bush stables, and iron chaff house, a set of implements, five working horses, a foal and a pony and some poultry. We had £150 capital when we came here and borrowed £275 from the Agricultural Bank which includes a stock loan. We are practically clear of the Industries Association Board, although we did owe them £201. The crop is going 12 bushels.

8070. By Mr. PAYNTER: How much did you have in last year?-- 170 acres, and the best of it was on the sandplain. The whole averaged 10 bushels. 26 acres of that was fallowed, but this year we have 100 acres of fallow. Bunyip and Federation do well on sandplain. The season has been too dry to fallow this year. We use 60lbs. of seed and 90lbs. of super on the sandplain. We have had no disease in our crops, and we pickle our wheat.

8071. By Mr. VENN: Are the rabbits troublesome?-- No, but the kangaroos have done damage, also the brush, nevertheless the rabbits are much thicker than they were previously. We believe that we will make a success of our venture here. The sandplain has a lot of clay in it, and sometimes 18in. depth of soil. It is far preferable, we think, to the forest land. (The witness retired.) _________________

FREDERICK JOHN COZENS, Farmer, Bilbarin, sworn and examined:

8072. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?—Seven years. I worked for wages before that, chiefly in mining. I hold 661 acres. One-half of it is first class farming land. The balance is scrub land, and white gum country. The price was 14s. an acre. The land is five miles from the railway east. I have four miles of fencing; 250 are cleared. I have two small dams and two small soaks. There is a little water now left in the soaks. I have several good catchments, but no money to provide a larger dam. I am a married man with two young children attending school here. I have a hessian and iron house and bush stables. I have not a plough, but I have a harvester and cultivator and a drill and have applied to the Board for a plough. I have four working horses now, but up to a month ago I had only two. When I came here I had £60 capital and a horse and cart and borrowed £300 from the Agricultural Bank. I owe the Industries Assistance Board about £200, and I think £250 would clear them and all my creditors off. I have 237 acres in crop, which I put in with two horses. I drilled it in wet without cultivating t and the yield was 10 bushels, 80 acres of