coming to an end great care should be exercised to put the true position and the facts before any of the soldiers who may desire to come to this State. If the difficulties were pointed out there would be another and a different class of settler coming here who would be prepared to overcome them. If we had three miles of netting, more wire, another dam, and some breeding ewes we would make good. I have had some experience of Africa, and while that is a country of grass this seems to be a country of timber. We were told when we came here that the first thing we should do would be to put a netting fence all round our property. We did so and it cost us £40 a mile, and since it was erected of course a quantity of it has had to be replaced, because it is not naturally as good as it was eight years ago. All the purpose it served was that it was a hindrance to the kangaroos.

(The witness retired.)

_________________

JOHN JAMES SIDNEY LEE, Farmer, East Narrogin, sworn and examined:

8286. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?-- Since 1904. I was born on a farm in Victoria. Then I was brick-laying for a couple of years. I hold 1,070 acres, half of which is fenced; 600 acres are cleared, and I have four dams, each of 800 cubic yards, and in an ordinary season there is always water available. I am a married man with 10 children, six attend school 4½ miles distant. I have a house, stables, machinery shed, plant, 12 horses, two cows, and some pigs. I had £80 capital when I started and a big heart. I borrowed £400 from the Agricultural Bank, and I owe the Industries Assistance Board and creditors about £600. I have 400 acres of crop averaging 12 bushels.

8287. By Mr. PAYNTER: How much of that was fallow?-- I had 150 acres fallow. I had worse luck on the fallow than on the other land. I ploughed deep at first and afterwards found three inches was enough. I cultivated once. I use Walker's. I sow 45lbs. of seed and 56lbs. of super to the acre. It costs 30s. to put in and take off a crop, including wages. This year was the highest average yield I have had. I think large implements might help one, but you cannot get labour as no man will handle more than four or five horses. I pickle and grade my seed, and I grow a quantity of vegetables when the rain is plentiful. Wages here are £2 a week and keep, and it is unsatisfactory at that. The men work about seven hours a day all told, and they do not work at all when it is raining. If I were to start I would start with 500 acres as the rents are such a big drag on a struggler. There is always a chance of getting land from one's less fortunate neighbours if one wishes to add to his area. A man should not crop until he has 200 acres ready. A man sometimes crop 50 acres and goes in for machinery, but that is a system that invariably gets him down. A man single-handed should be able to do 300 acres a year with a little help at harvest time. I consider that the price of land here is reasonable.

8287a. By Mr. VENN: Have you any sheep?-- I wish I had. If the Government were to provide breeding ewes to approved settlers it would be very helpful. The man who is next to me had 49 lambs last year. He shore them this year and got £34 for the wool. They are not 2-tooth and the wool has been sold for 1s. 7d. per lb. Red morrel is the best sheep country in Western Australia.

8287b. By Mr. PAYNTER: What is the cost of clearing?-- It costs 30s. I do not consider the rainfall on the whole is satisfactory because we get too much at the wrong time. Last year my crop was insured for 25 bushels but the dry spell came and I only had a yield of seven bushels.

(The witness retired.) _________________

CHARLES EDWARD DEAR, Farmer, Lucknow Farm, East Narrogin, sworn and examined:

8288. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been farming in this district?--. Since 1911. I had no previous experience of farming. I had a motor business in India. I hold 3,000 acres, 1,800 first class and the balance grazing country, but there is poison on it. The price is 10s. and 7s. 6d. It is two miles from the railway; 740 acres have been fenced with wire netting, 600 acres have been cleared. The water supply consists of one dam 9ft. 6in. deep, 1,000 cubic yards capacity and it lasts fairly well. I am a married man three boys; the youngest is six years old. I have a hessian house, bush stables, which I use also for machinery. I have not a full set of implements. I am short of a cultivator and an engine to drive the chaffcutter. I have four working horses and two ponies, two cows, 10 pigs and poultry. I bought the place for £1,000 and in addition have £500 on the farm. I borrowed £1,000 from the Agricultural Bank and I owe to merchants and others £600. I have 260 acres of crop averaging six to seven bushels. My failure was due to want of horses and insufficient crop as a consequence. The trouble with me is that I cannot get stock. I have been fenced for three years and have been paying interest and they will not grant me stock. I have no poison on my land. I could put down more water as I have plenty of labour; 740 acres are all fenced in. I could carry 200 sheep easily, yet they told me to apply for another loan for a dam, but not for stock. I am losing money in wheat. If they told me they would give me sheep if I had another dam, I would soon put one down, but there is no need to go to that expense if I am not to get sheep.

(The witness retired.) _________________

HAROLD WEBSTER, Farmer, East Narrogin, sworn and examined:

8289. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been farming in this district?-- Since 1904. I had no previous experience; I was a blacksmith. I hold 1,062 acres 4½ miles from the railway; 587 acres are cleared, 680 acres fenced. I have two dams, one 11ft. 6in. deep of 1,200 cubic yards and the other 7ft. 3in. deep of deep of 700 cubic yards. The larger one is permanent. I am a single man and my mother (85 years of age) is living with me. I have a house, stables and machinery shed, 11 working horses, and six pigs. I have £350 capital, and owe the Agricultural Bank £350. My other liabilities are £240 to the mer-