Part 7

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This transcription is complete

ually, we consider that we are all overcharged in this particular. Those who are near the railway, of course, do not grumble. Nevertheless, some of us have box poison and a reduction should be made on that account. The price of the land where there is poison should be reduced on account of the extra cost of eradication.

8178. By Mr VEEN: Are the rabbits a pest about here? - They are not very bad with us. Our principal trouble is the water question, and our experience is that a 1,000-yard dam does not hold out long enough.

8179. By the CHAIRMAN: Dams of 2,000 yards and 12ft. deep should be the policy of the Government? - We do not get enough winter rains to fill a dam sometimes. There are many outback who have been battling hard against great odds on inferior land, while there are several thousand acres of first class land near in on which nothing has been done for years and which might well be allotted to them.

(The witness retired.)

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DANIEL FAULKNER, Farmer, Babakine, sworn and examined:

8180. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district? - Since 1913. I was a small dairy farmer in the Old Country previously. I hold 2,000 acres, 1,000 first class and the balance is scrub plain. The average price was 11s. 6d. but this has since been reduced. The property is 3½ miles from a railway; 140 acres fenced and 504 acres cleared. I have just put down a 1,000-yard dam 8ft. deep. I could have gone deeper but that was the limit of the bank advance and I have been given to the end of May to put in my crop, and therefore I have no time left. I am a married man with two children, one attends school. I have an iron and canvas house and stabling. I hope to be able to make sheds soon. I have a full set of implements, with the exception of a binder, and four working horses; we will get two more shortly; also a cow and four pigs. I started with £100 capital and borrowed £638 from the Agricultural Bank. When this crop is delivered I shall have a balance , but not sufficient to carry me over till next year. I have 304 acres of crop averaging 12 bushels.

8181. Has the Agricultural Department, or its experts, given you any advice as to methods of farming generally? - All they have done is departmental; for instance they say one must put in two-thirds of early wheat. Last year my average was six bushels.

8182. By Mr PAYNTER: How much of your land was fallow? - Thirty acres, and next season I shall have 100 acres of fallow. My best results were derived from Correll's No. 5 and World's Champion but he could not find out anything about it. It averaged 18½ bushels. This is my second crop. Last year I had an average of 15 bushels. I have a four-furrow mould-board plough in which I use six horses, also a 17-cultivator, 18-disc drill, and a 6ft. Sunshine harvester. Freights are very high, much heavier than they were two years ago. Bulk handling would be better for the farmer. I have had no disease in my crops. I pickle but do not grade my wheat. I intend to do so in future. A man should have at least 1,000 acres in this district and he should have 600 acres cleared before he goes in for plant and machinery. To do it well, with a little help, a man should be able to handle from 300 to 350 acres annually. No rents should be asked for at least five years, but in every other respect the land regulations seem to be satisfactory. Personally, I do not think one dam of 1,000 yards is enough for a water supply. I have poison on my holding. There are 140 acres enclosed, which is the only land free of poison. I lost the best of my horses, and two of them did not get over it for twelve months. So that I can do nothing until the poison is got rid of. I may say that it has come up again for the third season. There is also poison in the hay that we wanted to cut. It is box. I go through the crop carefully. Two thirds of early wheat is a mistake, Correll's is early and it is shedding. The first part of it stripped well but latterly it shed. I should be left to the discretion of the farmer what to sow. When my crop was a failure I had nothing at all left and the Board gave me assistance. I pulled round but I did not show a profit last year, nevertheless this year I shall be clear. If I can do that without them worrying, why should I not have what seed I require to suit myself? The proportion of early wheat to be sown I consider should be one-third. The matter might be left in the hands of the inspector who knows which settlers should be trusted to use their discretion. Last year I only got six bushels; it was Gluyas.

8183. By the CHAIRMAN: It stood the September drought better than any other? - Yes, and also I had some oats that looked like a 40 bushel crop. We had a heavy wind and down it went flat. It took a fortnight to strip and I only got 70 bags of it. Gluyas is a good drought resister but it wont stand the wind. My 18½ bushels crop is on sandplain. I think I am getting rid of the poison in the cultivated land, gradually. If we could get something to eradicate it altogether the farmers would be in a better position because the land is splendid grass country, yet as things are at present we cannot utilise it.

(the witness retired.)

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HENRY FREDERICK HANSEN, Farmer, Kurren Kutten, sworn and examined:

8184. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in the district? - I have been here since 1911, and have no previous experience in farming. I have been mining and contracting. Between myself and another man we hold 3,000 acres, of which 1,500 is first class and the balance second class. Originally the thousand acres were priced at 20s. and the other at 12s. 6d and that figure has not yet been reduced. The property is five miles distant from the railway; 2,000 acres are fenced, 1,000 cleared. I am a married man with one infant and live in a hessian and jarrah house. I have stables and machinery shed and full farming plant, 12 working horses, two cows, two calves. I had £3,000 capital when I came and I borrowed £1,300 from the Agricultural Bank. My other liabilities will be cleared by this year's operations. I have 560 acres in crop, averaging 12 bus-