JOHN BROWN, Farmer, Tambellup, sworn and examined:

9797. To Mr. CLARKSON : I have been farming here 13 years. I had previous experience in South Australia. I hold 2,200 acres, of which 500 was poison country. I have 300 acres cleared. I grow wheat and oats in about equal proportions. One does as well as the other. I carry 260 sheep, 11 horses, and 10 cattle. I could carry another 150 sheep. I feed my oats to the sheep. The normal average is about 15 bushels of oats and eight of wheat. The cost of cropping is about £1, using no paid labour and feeding the stuff off. I think bulk handling would reduce the costs. The tariff is very hard on the producers. Farming implements should come in free of duty.

9798. To Mr. PAYNTER : I favour the continuance of the wheat pool. I have had no assistance from the experts or officials of the Agricultural Department. I think local knowledge is the best knowledge. The present land laws might be improved. White gum country should be cheaper than it is. It is only sand plain with trees on it. I am paying 10s. for some of it, whereas 5s,. would be ample. Except for prices of land, the land laws are satisfactory. White gum country will grow oats up to about 15 bushels. I sow 1¼ bushels of oats, and about a bag of super to two acres.

9799. By Mr. CLARKSON : Have you any suggestions for the encouragement of land settlement or the betterment of the agricultural industry?-The white gum country should me surveyed in thousand-acre blocks, and 250 acres should be cleared before selection. After that a man could get on alright. I came here from South Australia with all my teams and six boys, and I have had a job to make ends meet. It is only now that I am getting ahead of it. I lost my cattle in poison when I came here. I introduced rape to this district. After all, Algerian oats are the best. It is good for horses and cattle as well as sheep. The success or failure of a farm lies principally in a man himself.

(The witness retired.)

LESLIE PEEL HALL, Farmer, Peringelup, sworn and examined :

9801. To Mr. CLARKSON : I have been farming here for six years. I had no previous experience. I was previously at office work in Perth. I hold 1,900 acres but I started with 1,000. Much of it is scattered poison country. I have 250 acres cleared. I have in only 20 acres of crop for sheep. Rain has retarded my cropping . I have 450 sheep, 60 lambs, 15 horse and 5 cattle. My block could carry more sheep. The average carrying capacity of unimproved land is about four acres to a sheep, and then it is necessary to feed them. I lost 120 sheep last year through having no feed. Oats are the best feed.

9802. To Mr. PAYNTER : The Government ought to pay people to take up poison land. Every year one loses sheep through recurring poison. A farmer ought to be encouraged to make his surroundings more comfortable in regards to water supply and home. Many of the houses in this district are poor, even after 10 years of occupancy. The Government should give the farmer full value for his buildings and out-buildings, water supply, etc.

9803. To Mr. VENN : I do a little dairying for my own household use. A big dam of 5,000 yards with irrigation is essential to successful farming in this district. Green feed must be provided for the cattle. Cows would not milk at all on natural grass in district. The cost per acre eradicating narrow leaf poison is about 12s.

9804. By Mr CLARKSON : Can you suggest anything the State for the betterment of the agricultural industry?-I would give a man poison country and allow him a bonus for clearing it.

(The witness retired.)

The Commission adjourned.