binder, which cuts six acres, a stripper and winnower, a six-foot harvester, which does eight acres. Larger plant and bigger teams would not suit a man who had only 300 acres cleared. Anyone who aims at clearing 750 acres should have a larger plant, but he should not be hampered with heavy machinery on a small acreage. The tariff should be reduced 75 per cent. It is one of the deadliest weapons pointed against the farmer. Bulk handling appears to have been beneficial in other places. It should be so in this. There has been no disease amongst my crops. I pickle and grade my wheat. Fruit trees and vegetables do well for four months in the year. I intend going in for pigs immediately. To make a decent living, a man should have at least 1,000 acres, of which I have 600 acres cleared, 300 to crop and 300 to go on with. With a little help at harvest time, a man should do 250 acres. Co-operation would be a beneficial thing all round. Through our Country party members we have been enabled to obtain wells and soaks and we would not have had them if it had not been for political representation. I do no think we should be charged any rent for the first five years, or at the worst a graduated scale of rent for the first five years.

8142. By Mr. VENN: Are rabbits causing any destruction?-- I had 25 acres wiped out by the rabbits last year, and dingoes are here also. No farm will pay until the third year is reached and sheep are put on. Ewes should be supplied by the Government to those who have water and sufficient land cleared so as to be in readiness for them. The New South Wales Government are contemplating doing something similar to this, but they are going further and intend to provide both cows and stallions. Pioneering is the most expensive business going. For the first five years the settler pays away enough to keep him going for 25 years. Here is a table that I have compiled, showing my five years' operations (see appendix). The statement shows a return £1,735 for an outlay of £1,590 13s., and yet I am considered to be the most fortunate settler in the district. For the last three years the statement shows an average of 10 bushels per acre. It is quite essential that the farmer should have side lines. If he has 600 acres cleared he should devote 200 acres to sheep, 200 acres to fallow and the other 200 acres to crop, and his crop should be his surplus.

8143-5. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you think it would be necessary to wire-in this Kondinin line against the rabbits?-- Yes; if the line was shut off the money spent on it would be well spent, and unless something is done the incursion of rabbits will be ruinous to the State.

8146. Has the Agricultural Department been of any assistance to the settlers out here?-- No. They should confer with them and find out any weak spots and co-operate with the farmers in connection with land settlement. The department should be a live department and if they had been they could have found out that the rabbits have been here for some time, and they should have got to work to deal with them.

8147. Do you think that settlement will be established here with sympathetic departmental treatment?-- I think that those men who are getting help from the Government should be regularly overlooked and that more should be expended upon those who have shown themselves deserving and energetic, but from what I have heard I do not think the ordinary inspection is far-reaching enough. The money for the farmer is actually brought to the door and I am told that they are pursuing the same course in many instances as they were before the inspectors came along. Assuming that there were 20 settlers in this district on the board, after 12 months' experience the same advances would not be made equally to each of the fifty. The problem before Western Australia is to get the right man and put him on the right land. Personally, if I could wipe off 30 years of my life I would go on the land again to-morrow.

(The witness retired.) _________________

HAROLD OVERHEU, Farmer, "Lomas," Corrigin, sworn and examined:

8148. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?-- Since 1916. I hold 6,000 acres of which 4,000 are first class, 1,500 acres sandplain and third class; 2,000 acres are useless for sheep, being full of poison and overgrown ring-barking. The majority of the land was selected on the 10s. basis and 2,000 acres range in price from 7s. 6d. to 16s. 9d. The property is alongside the railway siding and is all fenced, 1,200 acres being cleared. The water supply is a well 100ft. deep. In addition there are two 2,000 cubic yard dams, one 1,000 cubic yard dam, and one 500 cubic yard dam. Three of them were constructed at 1s. a yard and the 1,000 yard dam at 1s. 6d. The two 2,000 dams are 10ft. deep and they could not be made deeper on account of the salt. One of them, at 10ft. 6in. depth, is slightly brackish now. The 500 yard dam is the only on that goes dry; the others are permanent. I have all the necessary plant and buildings.

8149. By Mr. PAYNTER: how many acres have you under crop?-- I have 620 acres under crop of which 40 acres are oats, and the hay has cut 30 cwt. to the acre. I lost 200 bags of wheat by fire. My average is 15 bushels. 540 acres were fallowed. I plough from two to five inches and favour Federation and Turvey's. If the farmer is likely to be late in sowing he should go in for Bunyip, Gluyas or Baroota in this district. I use 60lbs. of seed and super to the acre on my land, unless for late sowing. My highest average yield was this year. To put in and take off a crop costs 33s. 8d. an acre, including everything except carting, interest and depreciation. These amount to another 1s. per acre. Seven per cent. interest has to be allowed on capital cost of the crop. I allow 20 per cent. on the harvester and thresher and 10 per cent. on the ploughs and drills for depreciation. I use a 4-furrow mouldboard plough and six horses. I have two of these and they average 70 acres a week. I use a 30-tyne cultivator which does 15 acres and a 16-hoe drill that does 23 acres. Occasionally I use harrows. I got 23 bushels off a paddock which I had turned in when green. It was a self-sown crop. I work two teams on the binder and do 12 acres a day. With the reaper and thresher I average 12 acres. I do not approve altogether of larger teams and plant. I think a medium sized team and machinery to be far more satisfactory as the horses can be kept in better order and there