and plant, a farmer should have nothing less than 500 acres cleared ; the maximum that a man could crop would be 300 acres annually. Our land laws do not encourage settlement as we are hampered by the Government constantly. You want an average of 13 bushels to the acre to make it pay at 3s. a bushel. The Freight to Perth is far too heavy, and we should all be exempted from rent for the first five years. Rabbits are a pet here, and the Government should supply netting. They could be kept down on the 1,000 - acre blocks then. At the same time the fence should be dog proof. It is necessary for us to have stock run in conjunction with wheat growing. In order to crop 300 acres a man ought to have 900 acres cleared. I could carry as much stock as Mt. T. Anderson when my land is cleared. I worked for him for some years.

(The witness retired)

The Commission adjourned.

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                                                                THURSDAY, 8TH FEBRUARY, 1917. 
                                           
                                                                       ( At Kondinin ).

                                                                           Present :

                                                               J. O. Giles, Esq.  ( Chairman ) . H. H. Paynter, Esq.     F. E. Venn, Esq. 

                                                                                          -----------

                                                  WILLIAM STUBBS, Farmer, Kondinin, sworn and examined :

8196. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in the district ? - Since 1912. As a boy I was on a farm in Victoria and afterwards followed mining ; I was also a wood merchant in Perth. I hold 1,975 acres, of which 1,800 acres is first class and the balance second class, and there are 100 acres of lake country for which I am charged 15s. They call it the Salt River in the department. I pay 15s. for 1,300 acres and 12s. for the rest, since the reclassification. There is three miles cartage to the railway. No fencing is done. I have 500 acres cleared ; One 1,100 yards dam, a 500 yards dam, and a pot hole 5ft. 6in. I was stopped by the rain last year from sinking further. I could go lower. Both the dams are now dry. I am a married man, with six children of school age, and there is a school. which is to be finished by the 1st March, three miles away. I have a girl attend the modern school, in Perth. I have an iron and hessian house, iron stables and shed and the necessary implements, seven working horses, one cow, two pigs, and poultry. I had £1,200 capital when I came here and borrowed £650 from the Agricultural Bank. Last year I had a surplus of £40 after the first payment of the 6d. dividend. I have 300 acres under crop yielding 10 bushels.

8197. By Mr. PAYNTER : How much of that was fallowed ? - None. Nevertheless, I do not think, it is worth while stopping here without fallow. Last year I had 260 acres fallowed and stripped 1,623 bags, besides hay. This year I have no fallow. I have a larger area and will strip 500 bags less. Gluyas is the most suitable seed, and I sow 54lbs. to the acre and on the fallowed land I use 72lbs. of super. Eighteen bushels is my highest average yield - last year. It would cost eight or nine bushels to put in and take off a crop. The land here is easily worked. I have a four - furrow mouldboard plough, with five horses, and do five acres a day, also a 20 cultivator, 15 - disc drill, and a 6ft. Sunshine harvester. I would prefer a disc because of the roots and stumps, and it saves root picking. The tariff is a serious drawback to the farmer, leaving the war out of it. Bulk handling would be a boon in the saving bags. Larger implements would be the best for farming. I have had no disease in my crops. I pickle but do not grade my wheat. Vegetables do well in the winter. Fruit trees did well until the rabbits got to them. I employ one man at 25s. a week and keep. He is 19 years of age. To make a decent living a man should have1,000 acres and should have 600 acres cleared in order to have a good start and to warrant him in procuring implements and horses. A man should do 300 acres himself, with a little help at harvest time. I believe in co - operation, and we have had some correspondence about it with the farmers and settlers association. I thought the land laws were reasonable here at one time, but after having had had experience I do not think too much of them. The price of land is too high ; 10s. an acre is quiet enough for it. The system of the payment of the rents is reasonable, but we should have exemption from rent for the first five years of our occupancy. Clearing costs 25s. per acre. The rainfall has been satisfactory for the last two years.