on the Murchison and in New South Wales. The Palmirup Grazing Company, which I represent, holds 10,624 acres, Practically all of which is poison country. The average cost of clearing poison ranges from 7s. per acre for the first crop. It afterwards cost me 1d. per acre per annum to look after the poison. We have 2,000 acres cleared for cultivation. We and 500 acres in crop, principally for sheep feed, and 100 acres of fodder crops, rape, barley, and oats. The feeding value per acre of such a crop is on the average 45s. The full carrying capacity of our holding is five acres of unimproved country to the sheep. On improved country with a little cultivation I could carry one sheep to two acres.

9876. To Mr. PAYNTER: I do not consider the present land laws calculated to encourage a man for to take up the land in this district. What remains for selection is poison infected, and man without capital could not touch it under present conditions. The cost of eradication poison is equal to the price of the beat land in district. It would be wise if poison country were almost given away at a nominal cost on improvement conditions. The reversion to 1s. an acre a very wise move.

9877. To Mr. VENN: Our stud sheep compared at the sales with anything in the State. At the last sales our flock rams topped the market in their class. The wool in this district has a tendency to run fine, but is amongst the priced in Western Australia. From the first appraisement we got 1s. 10¾d for the fleece. Until the land is well improved crossbred sheep will do better than merino.

9878. By Mr. CLARKSON: Have you suggestion to make for the betterment of the agricultural industry and the encouragement of land settlement ?—I think the conditions under which poison land is sold should be greatly liberalised. Poison on the high have suffered from the want of sheets for covering chaff on the railways. If the remainder of the land in this district is to be settled, it must be recognised that it is all inferior country.

(The witness retired)

FREDERRICK WATTS, of Wallace Wood, Farmer, Kojonup, sworn and examined:

9879. To Mr. CLARKSON: I have been here 30 years. I have been farming in Western Australia all my 80 years of life. I hold 4600 acres. In consequence of rain I have no crop in this year. I go in for mixed farming. The land is capable of growing almost anything. The district is eminently suited to mixed farming. The only way to satisfactorily put on the land a man without capital is to provide some side employment for him while he is getting his land into shape. If the railway freights were reduced to the minimum on firewood, a new settler could make a living cutting firewood for the city. So disgusted am I with my experience of the railway that I now never send anything off my farm. I prefer to turn it into stock. The farmer' interests should be protected against the Railway Department. I have toiled all my life to make a bare living off the land. I am now going in for poultry, pigs, sheep, cattle and horses. A new man coming into a district has to take inferior land left beyond he great areas taken up by the first comers. Almonds and figs are more profitable to grow than are apples and pears. This is a good fruit district.

(The witness retired.)

The commission adjourned.