wife is not the woman she was 10 years ago. We put in four years at Dangin on tinned dog, and we left there just when fresh meat was coming into use. It is only within the last two years that we have had fresh meat here, and the only fresh vegetables were onions. I have taken off the harvest, 1,300 bags, and sewn them all myself.

8118. If the Government allowed the settler £150 for a house, he could erect a comfortable habitation?- Yes. A sun dried brick house is the most suitable for this district, and I think the department would do well to issue a leaflet giving a few hints on the way to make sundried bricks and build the house. I myself would be able to furnish some particulars that would be of use to the settler. I am a staircase hand by trade. Such a publication would save much time and expense. I have a bush stable 50 feet by 12 feet, and machinery shed 36 feet by 24 feet with a straw roof, a set of implements, six working horses, a horse for the children, and two fillies that I am breaking in, also three cows and two ponies. When I came here I had £180 capital after paying for the material for the house. I think I owe £750 to the Agricultural Bank. twelve months ago I had a statement from the Industries Assistance Board, but I have delivered 820 bags of wheat at Corrigin. I had about £80 worth of fodder, and I think there was a balance owing by me of about £200 in all about £1,000. I shall have 1,350 bags to cart in this year, as my crop went about 12½ bushels.

8119. By Mr PAYNTER : How much of that was fallow?- Eighty acres. I believe in fallow, but I have no chance to fallow because they will not allow me sufficient to do my clearing. every man should have 600 acres cleared. They do not allow me sufficient strength to work my land. Every settler will tell you that. The average farmer ploughs 1½ to 2 inches, because he cannot get the quantity in otherwise in order to satisfy the creditors. The rabbits have had 50 acres of crop this year. I may say that the wheat that suits me does not suit everybody generally. Federation suits me, and I sow 40 to 45 lbs. to the acre and 60lbs. of super. This year I intend to sow more heavily. My country makes good progress, and Federation is slow growing. I intend to use more super. in the future. Last year I had 100 acres from which there was a yield of eight bags to the acre, and one small portion went 10 bags. I had 150 acres in on some land that was put in late. That went seven bushels. I consider that land with the present season should be seven bag land. The average runs to about 12 or 13 bushels, which would take 12 bushels to put in and take off the crop. I have two 4 furrow ploughs. I am trying to get an 8 furrow plough, because I have eight horses, and if the Board will not give it to me I cannot get as much in this year as last. I do about eight acres a day. I have a 25 cultivator, but only use 17 tines. I hires horses and a plough last year, and because I did that without authority they would not allow me for it. I have a 16 drill, and averaged 23½ acres a day in 1914. The binder cuts 10 to 12 acres a day. My 6ft. harvester does 10 to 12 acres. My boys, while I am attending to the horses, oil the machinery. I allow one and a half hours to the horses for dinner. It takes me 12 minutes to take the team where I am cropping. I can drive the harvester up in six minutes. I think the tariff all falls on the farmer, and so far as bags are concerned, the tariff is of no protection to Australia. If it was brought to bear on the general community instead of the farmer it would be more just in its incidence. Bulk handling appears to work satisfactorily in Canada and should do here. One would have a tank on a table top wagon, and there should be elevators to receive it at the railway. I cart all my own wheat. Last year I used to start at 3a.m. and I was 10 hours on the roads. I used to get home at 11p.m. and could only make one trip a day. I have had no disease in my crops. I pickle more heavily than everyone else in the district and I am only one without smut. I put in one pound to the bag. I do not grade my seed, but would like to. We did grow vegetables, but I have not the time to do so now; although I have three quarters of an acre of black loam and I wanted to put in an orchard. It has been ploughed up to a foot deep. That was six weeks ago, but I have been unable to get the netting to put around it. There is a spring at that spot and vegetables are a big item for the family. If a man could run sheep he should have 1,500 acres and if he has no sheep he is paying for what he does not use. A man should be able to fallow 300, have 300 in grass and 300 in crop in order to make a comfortable living. He should have therefore 900 acres at least cleared. He should have 600 acres cleared for a start and should try to do the rest as he can. The bank should not allow a team unless a man has 600 acres cleared. I used always to make from £4 to £5 a week at clearing. A man is handicapped here with rent from the jump. If he was allowed four or five years exemption he would be in a far better position, but under present conditions it is daylight robbery to take rent from a man who is trying to make a farm. I got four horses from the Bank. Now I managed to get together nine horses altogether.

8120. By Mr VENN : Are rabbits troublesome in your locality?- Yes. I reckon I lost 100 bags of wheat from rabbits this year. If a man crops with fallow the crop becomes strong enough to keep ahead of the rabbits, otherwise they will keep it bare. I possible. (The witness retired.) JOHN ALBERT KNIGHT, Farmer, Corrigin, sworn and examined ;

8121. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in this district?- Since 1910. Previous to that I was farming at Benger. I hold 1,500 acres. One half of it is first class and the rest mixed country and poison. The price is 10s. an acre. The land is situated nine miles south east of the railway. Seven hundred acres are fenced and 550 acres cleared. The water supply consists of two wells and a permanent soak. I am a married man with no family. My house is a bush camp constructed of super bags. I have iron and bush stables and machinery shed, a set of implements, seven working horses, four foals and some fowls. I had about £30 from the Agricultural Bank and I owe the Industries Assistance Board and other creditors £350. I have 300 acres under crop going 14 bushels.