thing bigger than a four-furrow plough. I get better ploughing with that. I am using an eight-furrrow plough behind a tractor for breaking up land; it is satisfactory. I am going to plough all my new land with that plough. The cost of fuel in the tractor runs out at about 1s. 1½d. per acre. Allowing 1s. 6d. per acre depreciation on the tractor and fuel at 1s. 1½d., and 2s and acre for the time, it comes out at 4s. 7½d. per acre. It means we can do our ploughing under 5s. I have a light caterpillar Bates steel mule. I get the best results from Cedra wheat. It yields very well in this district. The lowest yield in the worst year we had here was nine bushels, but I have known it up to 22 bushels. Last year we reaped 15 bushels of Cedar, and I reckon we left about a bushel and a half behind. I find the Sunshine harvester most sucessful, but we are going to thresh everything in the future. I do not think bulk handling would reduce farming costs. The conditions in Australia are entirely different from those in Canada. There the farmer has not to go off his farm to deliver his product. If the silo system is to be of any use to the farmer here, he will require to have a second team of horses to go to the silo while he is working his farm, and if he is not going to put his wheat into bags he must have a team to go to the hopper trucks. In England wheat in bulk is sold at a much less rate than wheat in bags. Moreover, the full value of the open market will not be there, because there are only certain bulk handling ports in Great Britain and on the Continent. In many instances the bulk wheat after arrival in England is bagged before distribution . Our silos at the mills were put in because we are concerened in the grading of our wheat. Again, we are filling those silos four and five times in a season. They save us double handling here. If the system is to be of any use to the farmer yon must be prepared to take the whole of his wheat from him, and the capital cost to the State would be out of all proportion to the utility of it, because it would be empty so long. If bulk handling does come about, I would strongly recommend the Commission to consider steel before ferro-concrete. I am not in favour of the duties on agricultural machinery. I suggest a bonus be paid to all manufacturers on turning out a machine adequate and suitable to the farmer, such bonus to be paid out of general taxation. A great deal of the plant made in Australia is totally inadequate for the work it has to do. I think farming implements should come in free.

9780. To Mr PAYNTER: I cannot say whether I favour the continuance of the wheat pool. Personally I would prefer to buy my wheat all the year round from an oraganisation, provided the quality was maintained. There has been a marked difference in the handling since the new management of the pool was established. This district has not received any practical assistance from the experts and offcials of the Agricultural Department. Mr Sutton and Professor Paterson have done good work throughout the State, but the lectures given in this district are not attended. A farmer who attends the lectures doest not carry out the teaching. I suggest that the State farms should be closed and relaible farmers in each district subsidised to carry out the various experiments in grain growing. It is impracticable for farmers to go from this district to Narrogin two or three times a year to note the experiments there being carried out. I proposed to put in on my farm by the roadside next year 25 varieties of wheat on quarter-acre plots, and placard each with the necessary data, so that the present land laws calculated to encourage land settlement. The prices of the best land are reasonable, but there should be a great deal of revision in regard to the poorer classes, of land, While the conditions also should be made much lighter.

9781. To Mr VENN: I have had a lot of experience of poison lands. The best way to settle thoses areas is that the land should be given to bonafide settlers for then years on improvement conditions, without rent. Given easy conditions, the waste areas around Kojonup would be absorbed by the surrounding settlers. We run 4,000 head of stock, and our losses for the last 12 months have been two by poison. We have York Road, bloom, and prickly poisons. Our method of dealing with poison is to grub the plant, fill back the holes and tramp them in. The open hole leaves every root an opportunity of schooling again. We had an idea for establishing a bacon factory here. I have not altogether abandoned that idea and I believe now that there is a co-operative bacon factory starting here. I am quite prepared to help it along. I am sure it can be made to pay. During the drought year there were six or seven families in this district making £3 or £4 per week out of the butter they sold. I am satisfied dairying could be carried on at a profit here. I would not advise a man to go in entirely for dairying, but it could be carried on as part of his mixed farming operations.

9782. To Mr CLARKSON : I think the State would be justified in giving indirect subsidies for the establishment of butter factories in certain picked centres, and giving free carriage on the railways to cream consigned to the factory. Such centres should not be too far removed. The usefulness of the State farm at Narrogin in training students and keeping pure stud stock might be increased it the plots were carried out on business lines. As a taxpayer I have not much faith in these institutions. There should be a system of circularizing every man on the land in regard to all successful experiments carried on at the State farm.

9783. By Mr CLARKSON : Have you any suggestions for the improvement of the agricultural industry or the encouragement of land settlement ? — The industry would be greatly assisted if more adequate rolling stock were supplied by the railways, so that the farmers might get their produce away at the proper time. The existing rolling stock is totally inadequate. A proper system of telephones might serve to relieve the situation for the farmer. Local boards should be appointed to deal with appeals in respect of land valuations, and also applications to the Industries Assistance Board. The local people know the condition of such applicants much better than can any Government Deaprtment. There are plenty of suitable men here who would gladly serve on such boards in an honorary capacity. The bags we are getting today are not of standard quality. I suggest that we should get standard bags from Clacutta, and that bags of inferior quality be not admitted to the Commonwealth. We are all thinking Imperially just now, which provides an opportunity for the making of an understanding with the trading authorities of Calcutta.

(The witness retired)

The commission adjourned.