as medium-sized ones. For the average settler I favour smaller areas than they generally put in, and better methods than are customary. If a man has 600 acres cleared he should work 300 and have his sheep on the other 300. I have close on 1,500 acres cleared, and will put 500 of this in this year, and have my sheep on the balance; then fallow another 500 for the next year, thus having 500 acres in crop and 1,000 acres for the sheep. This year, of course, they want us to put in as much wheat as possible on account of the war. I am putting in nearly the whole lot. The terms for share farming I have adopted are as follows:- I provide the land cleared and in good order, and the share farmer finds everything else and does the work, and I take one third of the proceeds. In regard to the tariff, I consider this affects the farmer very detrimentally, particularly on machinery. Freights also are excessive; fertilisers which cost £5 a ton can only be placed on the ground at £6. I have experimented with super, and although I found that for the first few months it hastened the growth of the plant, at harvest time that which had not been fertilised finished even with the other. On bulk handling : I was in Western Canada and west of U.S.A., and have seen the bulk system in operation, though I have had no practical experience of it. I think, however, it will be a good proposition here. The cost of bags is something enormous, and if it would save the use of these it would be a benefit. In regard to taking it from the farm into the siding, I think a closed-in wagon would be required or one's bags could be used over and over again. They could be tied instead of sewn, thus saving three-halfpence per bag. The same bags could be used for many years. I consider we have been allowed to take up too much land, generally speaking. In the part where I was in Victoria the original area was 640 acres, but it was reduced to 320. A farmer who intends to go in for mixed farming does not require a lot of land; a square mile would be sufficient for the average man for this district. I think, generally speaking, the Western Australian land laws are fairly liberal. I was an inspector for the Agricultural Bank in this district and for Ongerup for two years. There are a few clients of the Industries Assistance Board still remaining here.

9271. To Mr. VENN: So far as the men who are going in for wheat growing alone are concerned, whether they make a success of it depends largely on the man. One I know with 300 acres who has no sheep on his place but is compelled to work every inch of his land, has done well ever since he has been here, and is in a sound position to-day. There are a few others termed the three-wire farmers who are not making a success of it.These appear to trust to luck,have no fallow, and rely to a great extent on the seasons.

9272. By Mr. VENN : Reverting to the question of manures again. You do not use superphosphate. Do you not think the grazing capacity of your land will be impaired eventually?--- Now it carries splendid feed. The farmers who are using fertiliser do not appear to have better grass. I have not used more than seven tons of manure in the last ten years. My average has been good, and my grass lands appear good also. The carrying capacity of improved land in this district handled properly will carry a sheep to the acre. There are three months of the year when, if the rains are late, the feed does not come. Then I may feed a little artificially. Dingoes have been troublesome, but they are evidently making further back.

9273. To Mr. PAYNTER : In the matter of artificial fodder crops, I have tried Rhodes Grass, Paspalum, Cocksfoot, Crimson Clover, and Lucerne. I have had good results from all of them, but am more impressed with the Lucerne than any of the others. It gives me green feed for my stock when everything else is dead, and I intend to put more in. I consider those farmers who suffered during the drought years will eventually make good, and their prospects are all right. At 4s. I can make wheat growing profitable. Of course some farmers complain that that price is no good. I used to cart wheat to Broomehill and get 2s. 6d. a bushel for it. In the drought year the average for the district was three or four bushels, and for the next two years I should say it was eight or nine bushels; for the last year 11 bushels. I started farming here with about £1,200; my liability is now about £2,500. Some of the causes of those cases of failure here are attributable to such things as lack of sheep, the high cost of living, high rate of wages, and the high price of machinery. The increased cost of fertiliser to those that use it is also a contributing factor, and farmers for these reasons cannot use their land to the best advantage. Bad seasons have also accounted for bad farming, as people try to put in more wheat to make up for their losses.

(The witness retired.)

ANDREW McDONALD, farmer, Gnowangerup, sworn and examined :

9274. To Mr PAYNTER : I have been ten years in the district. I have 2,000 acres. Of this, 2,100 acres is first class land, the balance second class. I am paying 10s. for the first class and 6s. for the second. I have 1,500 acres cleared, 1,100 acres sheep proof fenced and subdivided into seven paddocks. I have put up four miles of three wire fencing. I am two miles from the siding. My water supply is from four dams, the average capacity of which is 1,100 yards and the depth nine feet. This is a permanent supply. I am a single man and am going to the war in a few weeks time. I have employed a married couple to carry on while I am away. I have a full set of farming implements, 11 working horses, and eight others, 350 sheep, 20 pigs, and one cow. I have a good house and stables and a shed for machinery. I had practically no capital to commence with, but had four horses, a plough, harrows, and about 12 month's food supply. I went on to the Agricultural Bank and paid them off, and deal now with the Bank of Australasia, to whom I owe £1,900. I do not think they treat me very liberally as they will not advance anything on the mort country. They offered me on 2,000 acres the same advance as they offer people on 1,000 acres. I value my property at £3 an acre. I have 350 acres in crop this year. I believe in fallow but unfortunately only have 50 acres of fallow. Of course, most of the mort country carries poison. I use super to the extent of 60lbs. to the acre, and 601lbs of seed. The wheat I find best here is Currawa. Yandilla King also does well. My average for five