the 4th December the Agricultural Bank wrote and told me they would find me other land within five weeks, but so far nothing has been done. Land known as Watson's block was promised to me.

8231. By the CHAIRMAN: We will write to the Agricultural Bank urging them to proceed with the matter.

(The witness retired.)

________________

CHARLES JAMES BULL, Farmer, Kulin, sworn and examined:

8232. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district? - I came here in 1911, and was brought up on a farm in Victoria. I hold 1,000 acres, 750 acres are first class, and the price is 17s. The land is 6½ miles from the railway. There is no fencing carried out. My father and I each have blocks, but we work together. We have 1,100 acres cleared between the two farms. There are two dams, one 1,500 yards and 10 feet deep, and one 800 cubic yards 8 feet deep. We could get deeper by blasting. There is water in both dams. I am a married man with four children under school age. My home is a canvas house. I have bush stables, a set of implements, nine working horses and 15 pigs. I had about £90 capital when I came here. I have borrowed £300 from the Agricultural Bank and my father had the same. I do not know how much we owe the Industries Assistance Board and creditors. We have 600 acres in crop averaging 9½ bushels.

8233. By Mr PAYNTER: How much of that was fallow? 350 acres. Some was ploughed six inches and some three inches, and one cultivated once before seeding. One piece was fallowed and cultivated three times, and we got the worst crop off that. Federation gave the best results. We sow 1½ bushels to the acre and pound for pound of super. The highest average yield was 12 bushels last year. I have a four -furrow plough and six horses, and do four acres a day; with a 5ft. cultivator and six horses I do 8 acres a day, with a 13-disc drill 15 acres. We have used harrows, four leaves, and do 18 acres a day. We have 6ft. Sunshine and State harvesters and do six acres each a day. Larger teams and implements would doubtless reduce the cost. To put in and take off a crop costs 30s. The duty on machinery is far too high. I pickle and grade my seed. We grow as many vegetables as we can in the winter. Labour costs £2 a week and keep, and is quite satisfactory. A man requires at least 1,000 acres in this district, and should have 300 acres cleared for a start. He should do from 250 to 300 acres on his own. The price of the land is far too high. Ten shillings is quite enough for the best of it. There were no railways and no water when we came here. The first thing we did was to put down a dam. As a matter of fact dams should always be constructed ahead of settlement. I have kept a tally of the rainfall since I have been here, and it is as follows: - Year Rainfall Growing period 1913 15.4 9.70 1914 7.07 5.28 1915 14.57 11.00 1916 12.65 8.50

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Average 12.58 8.67

(The witness retired.)

GEORGE BULL, Farmer, Kulin, sworn and examined:

8234. By the CHAIRMAN: We have already had evidence from your son and will be pleased to hear any statement you wish to make?—This is a good district provided we get the rainfall, but you must have sheep in addition to wheat growing. Also you must have fencing and water. We have water. I had about £400 capital and£180 worth of horses when I came to this district. I think it is one of the best in the State. (The witness retired.)

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THOMAS HENRY DAY, Farmer, Kulin, sworn and examined:

8235. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district? - Six years. My previous experience was slight. I was a baker originally by trade. I have 1,000 acres, 850 are first class, The price is 16s. I have 11 miles cartage. There is no fencing. Six hundred acres are cleared. I have no water and have to cart six miles. I am a married man and mine is a hessian house. My horses run in a paddock. I have a machinery shed, set of implements, nine working horses and two cows. I had £2,000 capital when I started and borrowed £125 from the Agricultural Bank. I owe the Industries Assistance Board and others about £500. I have 300 acres of crop, averaging seven bushels and the low return is due to excessive frosts. The ground becomes so hard that it is impossible to get the drill into the ground.

8236. By Mr PAYNTER: How much was fallow? - Two hundred acres. I plough 3in. to 9in. in depth. The best crop was on the deep land. Between fallow and seeding I do not cultivate. I applied for a cultivator, but was told that I must fallow 250 acres which I did at 10s. an acre. They then refused the cultivator. The cost, 10s., was due to the high price of feed. Alpha gave me the best return and Federation the next best. I use 75lbs. of seed and 60lbs. of super. The tariff is absolutely ruinous. No doubt bulk handling would cheapen things. I have had no assistance. I pickle my wheat. My sons are now at the Front. Wages are £2 a week and found. No man should have less than 700 acres of workable land. To warrant the expenditure on plant and horses, he should first have 700 acres cleared. Singlehanded, with a team, he should not do less than 200 acres every year. Land rents are far too high; 10s. is quite enough and all rents should be deferred for 10 years, because the land is of no use until the settler comes upon it. They keep putting the land rent up and the land that was not an asset previous to the coming of the settler, there should be an inducement given to the settler to make it a good asset. There was no heavy rain last year sufficient to fill the dams. Dams should be at least 2,000 cubic yards capacity. Finally, I am of the opinion that the Victoria Cross should be conferred on every woman who stops up here.

8237. The Commission intends to recommend the construction of larger dams?—That is a wise thing. The rabbits have done a great deal of damage here, and they are considerably on the increase. Larger dams are a necessity. In my own case, I am carting water all day long. If the Government were to send