8345. Have you really successful men here ?—North - West here we have, but not immediately around here.

8346. Can you make wheat growing hold its own on nine bushels ?—No, it would go back. My yield for four years has only average 7½ bushels, but we have had to work to all hours of the day and night and the life is rough. I have had far more battling than I anticipated, but with more land cleared, and stock, I could do very well. A man requires six horses and a four- furrow plough. The land must be worked quickly or the season will be lost. last year I fallowed early and yet I was caught. A dry spell means dragging your horses and plough to pieces. I started the end of July or the beginning of August. I have only a two - furrow plough and a small team. It takes me six weeks to do what my neighbour does in three. I have a split slab house and I want something better than that if I can only get assistance from the Government.

                                                 ( The witness retired )

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JAMES WILLIAM RETALLACK, Farmer, Stretton, via Yealering, sworn and examined :

8347. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in the district ?—Since 1910. I was farming and carting in South Australia and Queensland at one time. Previously I was working for the Perth City Council. I hold 499½ acres of mixed first class country. There is ti-tree and marlock on it, which some people call black mallee. It is priced at 10s. an acre, and is two miles from the railway. I have three paddocks enclosed, 283 acres cleared, and some more partly cleared. I have soaks, and when they run dry I have to cart water. I am a married man with four children, two of whom go to school seven miles away. I have an iron and bag house, bush stables, no shed ; with the exception of a cultivator I have a full set of implements, two horses of my own, but no other live stock. I applied for a loan for more horses, but it was not granted. I had £250 capital when I started, and borrowed £325 from the Agricultural Bank. I shall owe the Board, the Industries Assistance Board, and creditors about £400 without this years crop. I have 270 acres of crop, which yielded 597 bags and 10 tons of hay. The crop was put in too late, and the thistles got ahead of it. It was finished at the end of June. I have not sufficient land cleared to enable me to fallow, and the rains came and the work could not be done until then. You cannot dry plough in this district, because of the cockspur and thistles. I got the best crop where I ploughed late. This year I shall have fallow.

8348. By Mr. PAYNTER : Why did you not clear more land ? - I had no sufficient from the bank to enable me to clear. I applied for more horses and more cleared land. and they said there was not sufficient security, and that the inspectors report was unfavourable. I employed a lad to help me last year, as I suffered severely from Rheumatism, but I have got his wages from the board. He was paid the harvest wages, which amounted to £18 15s. up to harvest time owing to him. I have a wife and family to keep. The lads wages last year were before the 9s. a day came in. This year his wages have been paid. I would not be in debt if I had the assistance required two years ago. With fallow I could make it pay : 499 acres is no use for grass. I could put in 200 acres of fallow and 50 acres of stubble land each year. I have grown, with a cultivator, 10 acres for five years, therefore it could be cropped two years fallowing without fallow.

8349. You cannot get into the three years system with only 499 acres ? - There must be 250 acres of crop, and a man should be able to put in 250 himself. I want more clearing and horses, and then I can do very well.

                                  ( The witness retired ) 

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WILLIAM VAUDIN DE GRUCHY, Farmer, Lake Yearling, sworn and examined :

8350. By the CHAIRMAN : When did you first settle in this district ? - In 1912. I had no previous experience of farming. I was a clerk. I hold 1,142 acres ; it is salmon and white gum mixed. It is grey land, flat, and very hard work. It cannot be worked wet, and it cannot be worked dry. I cannot crop after the beginning of June, and therefore I cannot get in the area I should. For that reason, the land is priced too high. One block is 11s ., and the other 12s. It is all boundary fenced with two wires, and subdivided with three wires ; 510 acres are cleared. I have soaks in sand drifts. So far we have had plenty of water. I have a jarrah house, bush stables and sheds, a set of implements, nine working horses, one cow, two heifers. When I came here I had about £500 capital, and borrowed £650 from the Agricultural Bank. I owe the Industries Assistance Board and other creditors £300. I had 230 acres in crop averaging 11 bushels.

8351. By Mr. PAYNTER : How much of that was fallow ? - 170 acres. I plough four inches deep. I cultivate once, unless heavy rains falls, when I cultivate again. I prefer Steinwedel for seed. We require early wheat here. I use 50lbs. of seed and 80lbs. of super. to the acre. The tariff falls very heavily upon us, and the machinery agents overcharge us. Mckay's machinery is dearer than the imported article, and still they want a protective duty. By the time the machinery is paid for it is worn out and requires renewing. I had to purchase 20 bolts recently, and they cost 12s. They used to be worth 2d. a lb., but now they charge at the rate of 7d. each. Last year I had 30 acres of rust, and got only 33 bags off the 30 acres. I have plenty of fruit trees, and they do splendidly. I have a son 18 years of age, and we work the farmer together. A man should not have less than 1,000 acres in this district, and he should have 450 acres cleared before purchasing plant and horses. Single handed I do 250 acres. My land is priced far too high ; 8s or 9s. would be ample for it. I have seen better land classed as third class at Cunderdin. We have a few fowls and pigs for our own use. I want more land cleared, 700 acres if possible, but how am I to get it done ? I have no time to clear it while I am cropping. My case is somewhat different from that of others. My horses are idle half the time ; I should have two teams actually at work, and with suitable land I could plough sufficient to keep me going, but I cannot.

8352. By the CHAIRMAN : Why can you not fallow ?—My land gets boggy. I have one four - furrow plough. I can put 11 horses in this year, but to do .