supply of store stock for stocking purposes will be readily procurable from the Northern pastoralists. The essentials otherwise are water supply and fencing on the farms, and the protection from vermin previously indicated. The outstanding feature of our investigation is the evidence of the Lands Department that we have parted with nearly all the State's agricultural land. The following statement shows the position as given us by the Surveyor General:—

- Total area. Acres. - Alienated. - Agricultural land not yet alienated. - Timber. - Balance unfit for Agricultural Settlement.

Grain Belt - 25,000,000 - 14,000,000 - 3,000,000 - ... - 8,000,000

South-West - 17,600,000 - 5,820,000 - 500,000 - 3,000,000 - 8,280,000

- 42,600,000 - 19,820,000 - 3,500,000 - 3,000,000 - 16,280,000

From this it will be seen that we only have 3,500,000 acres for disposal, a fairly large proportion of which, being without railway communication and waterless in its natural state, is more or less in-accessible. The large area of 16,280,000 acres of land unfit for the plough no doubt includes a considerable acreage of grazing country, which, however, cannot be turned to account till the country is convinced that we have no system of land tenure now upon the statute books, under which, in our opinion, this type of country can be profitably occupied.

With only 3,500,000 acres of vacant lands still open, it is apparent that the State is not prepared for any influx of immigrants, the area available being only sufficient for 3,500 settlers at the most. We find that large areas of land along existing railways are not being utilised and it is well known that many of our settlers have more land than they can hold to advantage. We have recommended that all over the State the improvement conditions with respect to Conditional Purchase land should be enforced in order that the surplus land held by farmers may be liberated for close settlement. We also advocate the repurchase of land along existing railways, to liberate the surplus areas of freehold land for the same purpose.

We have closely investigated the condition of the water supply in the dry areas and have found that the State's policy of financing 1,000-yard dams in the 12-inch rainfall country has been a mistake. In these areas we consider that effective dams should be 2,000 yards to 2,500 yards capacity and 12 to 14 feet deep.

We take this opportunity of reminding the Government that no steps have been taken to establish medical stations in the Wheat Belt. We believe that a medical man has been stationed at Merredin, but we hold that piecemeal attention to the whole question should give way to the formulation of a definite policy accompanied by the proclamation of definite medical stations to be gradually equipped as circumstances allow.

We take this opportunity also of drawing attention to the continued enforced payment of land rents by the Industries Board to the Lands Department. In our opinion such a policy is unsound. Only those accounts which are legitimately earning the annual instalments of purchase money, after all past and current claims upon the crops shall have been justly apportioned, should be debited with those instalments.

We have found the treatment of the poison lands question throughout the State to be inherently beyond the ability of the Departments to adjust, and have recommended that it be referred to independent appeal boards, who should be empowered to reconstruct the whole position.

We have condemned emphatically the clearing and development of the second class lands of the State, and have urged that the efforts of this generation should be concentrated upon the best lands.

We have drawn attention to the miserable homes of the settlers in the dry areas, and have urged that every effort should be made to improve their condition. We have also drawn marked attention to the severe climatic conditions which the women and children in our hot districts are compelled to face, and have urged the provision of special summer holiday excursions to the coastal districts at the lowest possible rates.

With the lessons taught by the war continually before us, we have stressed the supreme importance of schools in the Wheat Belt and of fuller agricultural educations as an elemental condition necessary to the improvement of the life and methods of the producing industry.

We urge the co-ordination of the State and Federal authorities in the equipment of the rural areas with complete postal and telephone communication; the adjustment of taxation on a three year's average; the abolition of Customs duty on farmer's tools of trade.

We find that the State's marketing facilities for the disposal of live stock, fruit, vegetables, poultry, eggs, and other perishable products are woefully inadequate, and that this State in this respect is immeasurably behind all the other Australian States.

We again draw particular attention to the absence of cool storage at ports to promote the export of surplus products. We consider this the very first step the State should take to prevent the serious glut in exportable produce which must shortly be faced, and we deplore the apathy which has been exhibited and the entire absence of any definite State policy with regard to this most momentous question. We cannot put the position more strongly.

The progress of farmers' co-operation in the handling of grain and fruit is commendable, and every energy which is devoted to standardising the State's principal products for delivery direct from the grower to the consumer and for economising the handling charges, is a legitimate field for State encouragement. The great objective for co-operation is the elimination of unnecessary cost against the growing crop by the co-operative purchase of quantities in full truck loads; and the economy in marketing charges, by the despatch of full truck loads of guaranteed standard quality.