who is really responsible for the greater portion of their revenue. A piece of land was granted us by the Railway Department in the Mt. Barker yard for the purpose of erecting a co-operating packing shed, and we were given to understand at the time that as soon as fund would permit the Department would run a deal end line or siding in front, as to load on the existing line as at present interferes greatly with the traffic. This has proved of very great inconvenience to the Department, and they have notified us that we must be prepared to meet the expense of the time before next season. It has cost the Associated Fruit Growers, Ltd., about £1,000 to build and equip this shed, and we had packed and loaded 40,000 cases this season alone, and we should not be called upon to pay for the line. By building this shed it has deferred the necessity for enlarging the Department's Goods shed by a number of years. Also had this shed not been built it would have been a moral impossibility to put the 40,000 on rails, and the Department would have of necessity lost the revenue. We have read a great deal about the Repatriation Scheme and the settlement of the land, and also that Mr. Connolly had made a tour of the State to obtain the latest information before taking up his duties as Agent General, but he has not been down this way, and I have not seen this part of the State mentioned at all. We consider that more attention should be given to the Great Southern portion of the State, which has proved itself, and induce settlers to go to districts where they are sure of success rather than spend huge sums of money in new areas. The proposed railway from Mount Barker to Bridgetown should be carried out as soon as possible, as it would open up country suitable for close settlement for dairying, fruitgrowing and sheep farming. I trust you will forgive the length of this report and also hope that you will find time to pay a visit to our packing shed. I have instructed the Foreman, E. Gorman, to show you round and give you all the information possible. Yours faithfully (Signed) Arch. G. T. Booth.

I wish to say a word about the railway facilities out West. Since 1911 we have been advocating a railway to the West. There is continuous settlement for 13 miles along the Blackwood road. There are orchards for 30 miles along, many of which were planted on the strength of the promised railway. From 18 to 20 miles out the orchards are new and only just coming into bearing. There are about 15,000 cases carted from beyond 12 miles from here and up to the 18-Mile post. Every thousand cases equals 25 tons. There are potatoes and other produce, manures, netting, wire, and other things. At least 1,000 tons a year are carted from between the 12 and 18-Miles. All the way to the Kent River there is settlement. The proposed railway would strike the Bridgetown line and Wilgarup north of Manjimup. Seventeen years ago Sir John Forrest stated definitely that that was one of the lines that must be constructed. Mr. Scaddan has since said he was convinced that a man could make as a good a living off 200 acres of fruit as off 2,000 acres in the wheat area. Of course intensive culture so far out is now out of the question, and at present one must have grazing country in conjunction with his orchard. On the question of cases, it is ridiculous that we should have here abundance of timber suitable for the making of cases while the cases have to be brought hundreds of miles to us. As one goes West one gets into a continuous belt of jarrah, one of the best to be found in this district. To the South-east we have the Porongorups, where there are several thousand acres of virgin karri country within about 12 or 15 miles from here. I admit there is a difference of opinion as to the value of karri cases. The majority of the people favour jarrah cases. Besides serving to cheapen fruit to the outlying settlers it would be of considerable value to the growers to get cases on the spot. Red gum makes the finest case if one can get the straight timber, but the quantity available is not sufficiently great to warrant the making of cases. Red gum splits excellently, but I do not think split cases would be acceptable these days. There is still a great deal of unoccupied orchard land along the proposed route of the Western railway. Another thing, the proposed railway would give facilities for the despatch of fruit via Albany. The distance from Bridgetown to Albany is 140 miles, where to Perth it is 150. There is not much difference is distance, but in the summer time fruit to Albany would have the advantage of travelling through a cool climate. Moreover, if the fruit were concentrated at Albany it would be an inducement to the shipping companies to make special provision for the handling of fruit at that port. The country between here and Bridgetown is distinctly suitable for dairying. For a mixed farming proposition the land and climate right along the railway road is ideal. All artificial grasses grow well, more particularly Italian and English rye and the various clovers. Japanese millet does very well in normal seasons, and I have seen there good crops of lucerne, but this requires preliminary preparation. Once established it will remain. I know some crops that have been in existence four or five years.

9823. By Mr. CLARKSON: Are you growing anything in the way of cereals?—Oats for the horses. I have nine or 10 acres. Generally oats do better than wheat, but early varieties of wheat do just as well as oats. The carrying capacity of the country is about one sheep to three acres. The carrying capacity looks better than it really is. In its natural state the land has a lot of herbage which, however, is soon eaten out. To carry sheep in good, strong, wool-growing condition one requires five or six acres to the sheep. Many new arrivals make the mistake of over stocking. The country is wet and the timber is keeping the soil sour. After fertilising and clearing, the country is a different thing altogether and will carry one sheep to the acre. The average cost of clearing is from £10 to £12. That is to clear four or five inches below the surface. Those of experience would never recommend clearing green country because it is so sour for three or four years afterwards. The recognised method of clearing now is to ring-bark it, sucker it the second year, and run a fire through. It has a tendency to kill the trees outright. After, say, five years the country can be cleared at £6 an acre. The cost of ring-barking is about 2s., and it will cost 7s. an acre to kill it. The country is so admirably suited to fruit-growing that I could not understand anyone neglecting to grow