8590. I suppose you always put a trial hole down for the dams?- Yes. The work of the excavation is let by contract. Before calling tenders we select the site and put down four bore holes in each corner and a shaft in the middle and the contractor can then see what he had to do before taking on the work. We have very few failures out of the 300 or 400 tanks we have put down. These are our standard drawings for tanks. (Drawings produced.) We call for tenders for the excavation of the tank and very often to put the drains going through them. When the tank is finished it is essential that a rabbit proof fence should go round. The work has to be very substantial. The costs sound very high but the work is necessary.

8591. Looking at your plan, a 2,000 yard dam costs £400? - Yes.

8592. That is 4s. a yard? - The tank itself costs about 2s. That is the excavation; the rest is fencing and other things.

8593. By Mr VENN: Is that extra cost on account of the depth you go down? - Two of the officers have been in the district since they started there; they have both made estimates. They worked from two different ends and they arrived at the same amount within a few shillings.

8594. What do you think a farmer would put down a 2,500 yard tank for? - If he put nothing round it? The excavation, I think, would nor be cheaper than we do it.

8595. Have you any experience of the agricultural extensions, the pipe extensions? - No.

8596. What in you opinion, speaking off hand, is the cheaper for a man, to pay £20 to the department a year for an assured supply through the pipes, or to put down his own tanks? - If any farmer could get all the water he wanted for £20 a year, it would be very cheap. He is relieved of the anxiety of the rainfall also.8597. the Government have reticulated these farms and it costs the farmer £20 a year. The farmers say they are paying too much. The question is, what would they provide their own water supply for? - £20 a year at five per cent. is £400.

8598. They would have to put down a 2,500 yard dam to get a permanent supply? - Yes, and then we get years when there is no water in the dam. Take the 1914. There is no water to come.

8599. What proportion of your 2,500 yard tanks were dry that year? - Very few. The rain came very late this year.

8600. I am talking about 1914? - I could not reply off hand about that. We have a good many.

8601. What you call permanent tanks? _ Yes. good reliable tanks went dry and we had to put in galvanised iron tanks and cart water. But that is a year we will not see again. I should think the farmer ought to be very glad to get an assured supply for £20. A farmer would not pay £400 to put down a tank, though.

8602. A farmer would put down a 2,500 yard tank for £250. His outside expenditure would not be more than £50, and by the time he has put a windmill and trough it would be getting on? - Yes, but for the £20 you have only to turn on a tap.

8603. Speaking of your work in the agricultural areas, do we take it that if funds were available, you would be doing twice as much and still have plenty to do? - Yes.

8604. You are in urgent work all the time? - Yes.

8605. The State has stopped developmental work? -The department originates nothing of this. It is the outcry from the districts; they are asking for them.

8606. Then Mr. Mitchell's scheme of 1911 has rather gone by the board; it is keeping things alive? - There is only one case in which we are taking the initiative, and that is at Lake Grace, where we are putting in two tanks to open the country now. The other work is what we are asked for.

8607-8. By Mr. VENN: That is east of Lake Grace? - Yes. I think our district officers, and we have four of them, have had great experience in those areas. and they could assist the farmers. They are travelling about the place, and could give advice. We lend boring plants and the farmers wast a lot of time putting down bores in poor country. They often bore in places where our officers would not. We lend these boring plants and men are slogging on these; they write in and say they want more chisels. They have been working on granite for weeks. The reply to that is that they had better stop for they will not get water below the granite. Our field officers have experience; they have been out in the agricultural areas since they started growing wheat there. The same remarks apply to the bores as to the tanks; they need to be tested. We should not dream of letting a contract for a tank without first putting down a shaft, and we would not rely on bores too much. We have made mistakes ourselves; we are learning as we go along.

The witness retired. The Commission adjourned.