month's, time I could not muster 150, owing to the stray dogs and dingoes. I used to yard my sheep, and they would take them in the day time. Last year I sold half my sheep, that is 77. My total now numbers 129. I have tried the merino and the Shropshire, but prefer the former because they do not rumble so much, but both breeds do well. I consider that farmers should have a flat rate on the railways for their wheat, and more expeditious transit by rail. It takes three days for a horse to arrive here from the coast. Assistance should be given in connection with boring for water, and an experienced man sent around to supervise the work. There should also be given assistance given to construct a houses. Of course a certain amount of development work should first be done. Water should be provided free at all sidings for the teams. At the present time we pay 1½d. a drink to the Railway Department, in conjunction with the local progress association. There should also be assistance given for rabbit fencing, but the Agricultural Department will not do it. The Rabbit Department once offered to do it, but they wanted a first mortgage over the property. We have not yet taken steps to have a permanent board established. The majority of members are on the other side of the rabbit fence, are opposed to it, I think that orchard fees should also be abolished where farmers are struggling to keep a few fruit trees alive against great odds. I, for instance, have to pay 7s. 6d. for the privilege of growing a few fruit trees, and there has never yet been an inspector near my place. A medical man should also be subsidised for the benefit of the settlers.

8212. By the CHAIRMAN : Are you satisfied with your prospects here ?-Yes, quite. I was told, however, that we were told however, that we were to get a railway within 12 months. Of course the railway did not come, and the 12 months ran away with all my capital.

(The witness retired.)

DENIS REPACHOLI, Farmer, Kondonin, Sworn and examined :

8213. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in the district ?- I settled here in 1914. I had previous experience in Riverina. I hold 1,000 acres of land, four miles from the railway. It is not fenced ; 300 acres are cleared and there are 40 acres of wodgil. I have no water. I am a married man with three children. I have a kennel for a house. I have no stable, no machinery shed, no implements, only a plough and oil engine and stripper, six working horses, one light horse. I had £500 capital when I came here and borrowed £230 from the Agricultural Bank. I am probably clear of the Industries Assistance Board. I have 240 acres of crop, averaging 12 bushels.

8214. By Mr PAYNTER : How much of that is fallow ?-Thirty-five acres. I plough four inches deep and find Gluyas the most suitable seed. I pickle but do not grade my wheat. I have had three crops, the last averaged 17½ bushels. The minimum quantity of land a settler should hold in this district is 1,000 acres and he should have 600 acres cleared before he would be warranted in obtaining horses and machinery. With a little help at harvest time, he should do 300 acres annually. First class land should not be more than 10s. an acre and Wodgil land should be cut out altogether, as it is absolutely useless. I am badly in need of a dam of 1,000 yards and I have offered to put down a 2,000 yard dam, but they will only pay me £60 for a 1,000 yards, which is no good at all. If I cannot put down a 2,000 yard dam, I will not stay here. I have a plant and would use it. They will not allow me to paddock my horses. It cost me £3 10s. a week to feed them, although the inspector has recommended it. I have 300 acres cleared. I want another 200 or 300 acres yet cleared.

8215. By Mr. VENN : Are the rabbits increasing ?-Yes, and they are burrowing in the morrell country.

8216. By the CHAIRMAN : You want a proper dam and more land cleared ?-Yes, we are charged 9d. per hundred for water for our horses and we cannot pay it. We must have water. Freights are a big handicap to us. I had to pay 2s. 6d. on a case of fruit the other day. A case of groceries and a bag of sugar, a bag of potatoes and a few onions cost me 18s. 2d. in freight that is my average monthly. On four cases of benzine, they charged me 17s 5d. and on cultivating plough £6 0s. 11d. That was before the last rise in freights. A five-foot harvester cost me £6 14s., 1d., a six-foot cost about £9, a cultivator cost £4 10s., and an engine £2 9s.2d. a plant to start farming cost £700 odd. On wheat it cost 4½d a bushel. There should be a sliding scale. We should not be handicapped because we are outback. I have salt bush and top feed which is splenid for stock.

(The witness retired.)

JOSEPH WATSON, Farmer, Kondinin, sworn and examined :

8271. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in the district ?-I came here in October, 1915. I do not think the administration is all that it should be. They do not allow a settler to use enough of his own discretion as regards fallowing. Most of us think that the order to fallow a certain area is very harsh. We think we ought to be allowed to crop a larger area and fallow less. I am not on the Industries Assistance Board, but I speak on behalf of the farmers here. They have not the facilities for fallowing. From last years results they conclude that fallowing is a failure. Mr. Rankin considers that we would be better off by cropping 600 acres and fallowing 200 acres, yet the industries Assistance Board says that he must fallow 400. I have been managing farms for five years here, and I am satisfied that fallowing is not a success. I cleared 50 acres here and scratched in 59 acres of crop, which resulted in 10 bushels per acre. Settlers here think that they will get off the Board