THURSDAY, 7TH JUNE, 1917. (At Toodyay.) _________

Present: H. H. Paynter, Esq. (in the Chair). F. E. Venn, Esq. _________

CHARLES JAMES LLOYD, Farmer, Calbaline, Toodyay, sworn and examined:

9635. To Mr. PAYNTER: I have been farming in this district ever since I was a boy. I hold 800 acres of freehold, all improved, fenced, and subdivided, with house, stables, shed, and all farming requirements. It is practically all cleared. I crop 130 acres. I generally keep about 400 sheep, but I lost a lot recently. The water scheme hits me pretty hard, because I do not require it, yet I have to pay £17 per annum at 2d. per acre, although I do not use the water. I did not petition for the water. Three men who had it brought here do not own an acre of land in the district. For years I have been trying to get the water rate reduced. I made no protest when the water was being put in. I readily gave permission for the pipe to run through my holding, because I had no idea that I would have to pay for what I did not want. I have in writing the terms on which the water was put through my paddock, namely, that I would not be charged. I have never found any need for the water. I use it only because I have to pay for it. I use about 10,000 or 12,000 gallons per annum. I have to pay 10s. a year for the meter alone. I have more water of my own than I require. The petition for the water scheme was never submitted to me for signature. The water passing through my land does not add to the value of the land.

9636. To Mr. VENN: Very little dairying is done in this district. If we could irrigate we could grow summer fodder, but it would never pay to use the scheme water for that. The price of excess water is 2s. 6d. Last year I was entitled to 16,000 gallons more than I used. Except for the water, I am perfectly satisfied with my prospects. Mr. Masters has to pay £40 per annum for the scheme water although he has ample water of his own. My crops average 20 bushels. I have a little orchard, but it does not pay very well at present, owing to high railway freights on single cases. If I send at owner's risk (1s.), it frequently happens that the case is only half full on arrival. If I send it at Commissioner's risk (1s. 9d.) it gets there without interference. The freight on single cases should be greatly reduced. Fruit should be carried up to 100 miles at 6d. per case. From here to Midland Junction at owner's risk it costs 1s., and is nearly always unlawfully opened. In the case of most farmers, if they would crop about half their usual area and put it in properly, they would double their yields. Scarcely any farmer about here has harrows. I generally harrow both before and after drilling, and I have the best crops in the district. Not nearly sufficient attention is paid to harrowing.

9637. To Mr. PAYNTER: I harrow after fallowing, and also after cultivating. In days gone by all the old farmers used to harrow thoroughly. I use 1¼ bushels of seed and 90lbs. of super. The Government should offer a reward for the destruction of crows and hawks. Thousands of pounds worth of lambs have been killed by crows and hawks in this district alone. The crows pull the lamb's tongue out, and so the lamb dies. Again, the crows do a lot of damage among bagged grain, especially oats. In my opinion the super. we get is half lime. The railway rates on small quantities of timer should be greatly reduced. I do not see why we should pay the Government 3d. for weighing a load of produce at the station here when it has to be weighed again in Perth. The weighbridge here is not kept in proper condition. I have often seen on cwt. of sand lying it. I propose to start an irrigation scheme of my own, but to do this I would require the services of one of the departmental engineers. (The witness retired.) _________________

CHARLES MAXWELL LUKIN, Farmer and Agent, Toodyay, sworn and examined:

9638. Mr. PAYNTER: I have had a lifelong experience of farming. With my brother I hold 7,000 acres of freehold, which was taken up by my grandfather in 1832. About 1,700 acres has been cleared, practically all that is available for cultivation. We put in from 600 to 800 acres each year. We run 5,600 sheep, not all of which are at Toodyay. The only wheat we grow is for our own stock. We have 30 horses and 150 pigs. We are cropping some wheat for the market this year. We shall have about 800 acres in. We have about 450 acres of fallow. We sow from 1¼ to 1½ bushels of seed, and 80lbs. of super.

9639. To Mr VENN: Nobody is dairying in this district. We have about a dozen good Jersey cows. We are breeding from the Lilian Progress bull which the Government imported. Twelve years ago we used to make a good deal of butter. We used practically to keep ourselves on the sale of butter, but it was hard work, and we did not continue it. I think Toodyay would make a good dairying district. I am getting another Holstein cow now, and I propose to go in a little for butter again. A good many pigs are grown in the district. I send a lot to Midland.