HENRY ERIC TRUBODY, Farmer, Kulin, sworn and examined:

8254. By the CHAIRMAN: When did you come to this district?-- In 1912. I hold 1,814 acres, and have 300 acres cleared; 205 acres are self sown, and it averages seven bushels. My liabilities are £240 to the Agricultural Bank and £360 to the Industries Assistance Board. I would like to refer to the question of mallee. If a man was paid 10s. an acre to roll mallee down and clear it up, and 5s. an acre each year for two years as he ploughs it up, it would be satisfactory, and would involve a total cost of £1 per acre. I was promised £1 an acre, but when I got it cleared I was only allowed 10s., and I had to pay the money out of my own pocket for the clearing. It actually cost £2 10s. an acre including root picking, before I could get it cleared. Then again we were promised that the railway would be here when we came out almost immediately, but it did not come till two years afterwards, and I had to cut four miles of road myself to get into the town from my holding. The Roads Board could not do it for want of funds. As a matter of fact the town site itself is not yet cleared although I myself have been paying rates all the time.

(The witness retired.) _________________

BARNET SOLOMON, Farmer, Kulin, sworn and examined:

8255. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?-- I came here four years ago, and between myself and my son we hold 3,000 acres, 2,000 of which are in my name; 950 acres are cleared, 360 cropped averaging 10 to 12 bushels. I have expended £2,300 of my own money. I think I will make a success here as I consider the district is really first class. My system is to fallow 400 to 500 acres every year; 15 bushels will pay with fallow. I am prepared to carry sheep if I can get a hundred or two on terms, and netting to fence my area in. I admire the operations of the Industries Assistance Board, they are admirable. Each settler should have at least one 2,000-yard dam, but is not in a position to afford it. What we want badly is rabbit proof fencing and every farmer should be compelled to fence in his dam.

(The witness retired.) _________________

LAURENCE ELLSON, Farmer, Kulin, swoen and examined:

8256. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?-- I came here in 1910. I hold 5,500 acres. I have 500 acres cleared and 500 not cleared. I have 350 acres of crop yielding 13 bushels, seven horses, a pony, a cow, and a calf. I owe £1,000 to the Agricultural Bank, but I do not know how much to the Industries Assistance Board. I could make a success under certain altered conditions. The water question has not been faced here properly. Until we get two or three years supply of water assured our position will not be safe. The Chamber of Commerce in England are asking the British Government to fix the price of commodities for six years, and therefore the farmer here will have to be subsidised when the prices are low. Fruit here is much too high in price, and being 280 miles away, we are at a great disadvantage, and we are in the meantime wasting a large proportion of our product.

(The witness retired.) _________________

JOHN WILSON FERRIER, "Springwood," Kulin, sworn and examined:

8257. To the CHAIRMAN: I wish to make a statement to the Commission. I am unable to get any assistance from the Industries Assistance Board. I have been here since 1917, and I have written to them time after time for help. The land is in my father's name, but he will give all the security they require. I have sent in another form to the office, and I had 300 acres. Owing to the late arrival of super I could not get a good crop in, and when I asked them for seed for the following year they said they would take it all. I have suckers growing up all over my land. I applied for seed for 230 acres, but the State will not let me do what I want.

(The witness retired.)