Part 7

Page 524
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This transcription is complete

JOHN BAIRSTOW (Bairstow Bros.), Nippering, sworn and examined :

8529. By the CHAIRMAN : Are you related to Mr. Bairstow who has already given evidence?—No.

8530. How long have you been settled here?—I have been farming all my life in the Stanley district of South Australia. Two of us hold 1,200 acres, 400 acres first class and the balance is white gum, jam and York gum, also blackboy, which is second class. The price of the land is 10s. and it is three miles from the railway. It is all sheep-proof fenced and subdivided into four paddocks ; 495 acres are cleared. There is a permanent water supply in the wells- stock water. My brother and I are single men. We have a weatherboard house, bush stables, set of implements, 12 working horses, 350 sheep, two cows and a calf. We had £500 capital and borrowed £150 from the Agricultural Bank, but have no other liabilities. We have 140 acres of crop going 12 bushels. The smallness of the area under crop was due to the fact that I disapproved of putting the same land in year after year.

8531. What do you think of the prospects of the district?- They are fairly good. I am satisfied with the productivity of the land but we do not get the fruits of our labour on account of the tariff, and we have to market our commodity in the worlds markets, while the merchants are in a position to take advantage of us. Last year we paid 7s. 6d. for benzene and afterwards 30s. per case. A shipload came in and it cam back to the old price.

(The witness retired.)

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ALBERT WILLIAM BAIRSTOW, Farmer, Nippering, sworn and examined :

8532. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been in this district?—Since 1913. I am brother of H. L. Bairstow but I have a separate farm. I hold 843 acres six miles from the railway; 600 acres are fenced with three wires and there is one mile of boundary fence with six wires; 450 acres cleared. I have a 600 yard da nearly dry. I am a married man with one child. I have a house containing three stone rooms, also bush stables, and implement shed. I had £200 capital when I came here and have no liabilities. I have 200 acres under wheat and 30 under oats. The former goes 8 bushels.

8533. By Mr. VENN : How many sheep have you?- I cannot run sheep on my place. There is only 100 acres free of box and mallee poison. I want my land reclassified but it is under 10s. an acre. My land is inferior to most of the other land here. The cost of fencing off the poison is too high. I had 20 sheep eating my fallow. Last year one of them died , as I found, on the box plant. Poison and water are my trouble. I shall have to cart water next week. I understand that there is an instrument in the possession of the Government which will disclose where water is located.

(The witness retired.)

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GEORGE FRANCIS CRONIN, Farmer, Dumbleyung, sworn and examined :

8534. By the CHAIRMAN : How long have you been inn the district?- Since 1902. I have been farming all my life in this district. I hold 760 acres, 500 acres of which are first class. The rent is 10s. The land is seven miles from the railway. It is all sheep proofed fenced, subdivided into three paddocks; 400 acres are cleared. I have two soaks which yield water and a dam of 500 yards which is now dry. I could not go any deeper in the dam. I am a married man with one child. I have a three roomed stone house, bush stables, iron shed, set of implements, eight working horses and 12 others, three head of cattle, three pigs. I had no capital when I came here and borrowed £35 from the Agricultural Bank ; my liabilities amount to £200. I have 250 acres of crop going 12 bushels.

8535-6. By Mr VENN : Have you sheep?- I have too many horses for my land and I cannot run sheep on account of the water. I used to go out working at times. There is poison on my land.

(The witness retired.)

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The Commission Adjourned.