THOMAS MARMADUKE COYLE, Farmer, Barbakine, sworn and examined : 8173. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been settled here ?-Since 1911. I had no previous experience in farming. I was a carpenter. I hold 1,000 acres of land all first class, with the exception of 30 acres and it is priced at 18s. 6d. I have thee miles carting. 550 acres are fenced and 600 are cleared. I have 8ft. 6in. in depth, 1,000 cubic yards capacity. I could not get it deeper on account of the rock. It is now dry. actually it cost a man's wage to cart water now. I am a married man with five children. Two of them attend school 3½ miles five children. The oldest is11. We are living in a camp. There are no stables or sheds. I have a set of implements, eight working horses, eight light horses, two cows, and calf, four pigs. I started farming with nothing and borrowed £800 from the Agricultural Bank. I think I am clear of the Industries Assistance Board. I have 320 acres in crop averaging 13½ bushels, and there are 18 or 20 acres under oats besides.

8174. By Mr PAYNTER : How many acres of fallow have you ?-One hundred. I believe in fallow, and for the coming season I have over 200 acre. Fallow re-worked is good. It was a failure on one occasion, however. It was a failure one occasion, however. The Gluyas is good wheat, but goes down. My highest yield has been 16½ bushels average. I had in places 27 bushels to the acre of Federation, and if all my crop had been Federation I would be in a good position. I have no plough, but I have a 20 cultivator which does 12 acres a day, a 16 drill that does 16 acres. I do not use harrows. I have a binder which does acres a day and 5ft. Sunshine harvester which does eight acres also. I am a free trader and do not believe in tariff. Bulk handling is what I want, The present system is a dead loss to us every year. Larger teams and larger implements I do not think would conduce to reducing cost. I believe that two 5ft. harvesters would last long than on harvester double the size. My land is rock. I have no diseases in my crop. I pickle, but I do not grade my wheat. Anything will grow here in the spring in the way of vegetables , but fruit trees are to much trouble as they occupy so much time in looking after and watering them, and water is often very scarce. In order to make a living a farmer should hold at least 1,000 acres of land, but that area will be no good to all of us later on. A man should have 600 acres cleared before he indulges in a working plant. To work his land properly single-handed a man should not be expected to do more than 300 acres a year, and would have to devote himself to the team. The conditions of the land here are easy enough, but a man should not be asked for rent for the first five or six years, and houses should be provided for the new settler. I should be glad to ge £70 for this purpose, but I am frighten to ask the Board for anything.

8175. By Mr. VENN : Do you intend to go in for sheep ?- Farming will not pay without them. If the Government were to assist settlers with ewes on extended terms and would see that his property was fenced against dogs and that he had sufficient water supply and enough cleared land, it would be very beneficial to the settler. I do not think that rabbits will trouble me very much. The freights are principal bugbear. It cost as much, or more, to live here as it does in Perth. Vegetables landed here that cost 6d. in Perth we have to pay 6s. for. It cost me £3 10s. to get a conveyance here and £3 for a repeater-thresher. It must cost me £30 a year in indirect taxation, and if there is anything that I need to buy I have to go to Perth for it. Pig breeding would not pay here because we are so far away from markets. My only aim ever since I have been here has been to get in a crop. My intention is to build a batt house later on.(The witness retired.) ROBERT FARRANT LUTLEY, Farmer, Babakine, sworn and examined :

8176. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in this district ?-Since 1910. I was farming in England and afterwards at Beverley. My brothers and I hold 2,000 acres, one-half of which is first class land and the balance second and third class, or poor mallee, and ironstone gravel ridges. One block is three miles and the other three-quarters of a mile from the railway and are priced at 13s. and 12s. 6d. respectively. six hundred acres are cleared. The water supply consisted of a 9ft. deep dam just finished, containing 1,000 cubic yards. Possibly it could be sunk deep if necessary. I am a married man with three children, the of whom attends school. I have an iron and hessian house, bush stables and shed, set of implements, six working horses, one cow, one pig. I had £100 capital when I started and borrowed £550 from the Agricultural Bank. Probably this year's harvest will square me with the Industries Board. I have 265 acres of crop which will average 14 bushels.

8177. By Mr. PAYNTER : How much of that crop was fallow ?-Eighty-five acres. I have only 74 acres fallow for next year. Federation I find the most suitable wheat. I sow one bushel to the acre and 70lbs. of super. My highest yield was last year, 14 bushels. To put in and take off a crop cost 30s. in which no wages are allowed, only interest and depreciation. I used a four-furrow plough and six horses, I have a small spring-tooth cultivator and a new eight-furrow plough and six horses, and a 16-drill which does 12 acres, But I do not use the harrows. we use a neighbour's binder. we have also a six-foot Union harvester, which does 10 acres a day. The tariff hits us severely ; for small beginners machinery cost so much and do small parts. Bulk handling would be a good thing, as it would, as it would reduce the cost of bags, which are at present a great expense. I have no disease in my crops. I pickle, but do not grade my wheat. We have tried vegetables and fruit trees and so long as the weather is wet they are a success, and they would continue to be so if we could get regular summer rains. I do not employ any labour. Every man in the district should have at least 1,000 acres and should have 600 acres cleared before he procures either machinery or plant. The maximum amount a man could do single-handed would be 200 acres, with a little help at harvest time. With regard to the present land laws, some settlers are a long way from the railway and the price of their land should be proportionately reduced. Act-