from the block was between £800 and £900. Last year the return from the same block was £130 and over £200 was spent in working expenses. To connect with irrigation scheme cost £64.

10416. With regard to the operating charge, can you skimp much? —When you have not too much money to spend you do not cultivate and manure as well as you ought to. Of course, by doing that you not save any money.

10417. What is the annual production per tree in the Harvey area? —In regard to trees in full bearing, the average I should say would be 80 cases to the acre.

10418. How does that compare with orange culture in the other States? —I should say it was fairly good, but if you took individual districts, it would be a lot higher. The returns at Capel are higher than that. The returns in Victoria are even higher. At Mildura the return would probably be pretty low, because Mildura has been a failure as a citrus growing country. I cannot say what the average is there. The Harvey production would be quite equal to Mildura as I remember it. I was growing citrus trees chiefly when I was there and I consider our crops here are as good as they were there.

10419. Would you say that the statement that they can produce three bushels per tree in the Eastern States as against our one bushel is not correct? —I am certain that certain districts would produce three bushels. The best districts would do that.

10420. By Mr. CLARKSON: I asked you whether your estimate of four shillings per case allowed for a living wage to the grower and you said it would?

—At 4s. a case I consider you would come out about square. If you were doing the work yourself you would be paying yourself wages and there would be nothing left.

10421.Do you know the area lately set apart for repatriation purposes? Do you consider it the most suitable land in this locality for that purpose?

—I am not  sure what they intend to use it for, but I would not consider it suitable for citrus growing. It would be suitable for ordinary farming if they decided to use it for that purpose. It will grow grasses splendidly.

10422. What is the maximum price they can pay for that land for the purpose you consider it most suitable for and have a reasonable chance of success? —In a case like that I do not think the initial cost of the land makes a tremendous amount of difference, because there will not be very big holdings, and another pound or two an acre on a few acres does not make much difference. The minimum area which would be required would be 40 acres, and to have a reasonable chance of success a man should not be asked to pay more than £12 in its present condition.

10423. What would he require to spend on it in improvements?—As it stands now, he would want to spend nothing on his fence and ploughing. It is all cleared, and the greater part of it has been ploughed and there are drains through it, but the drains want a lot more done to them. The trouble with that drainage there does not concern the individual ; it will concern the Government. They must find an outlet for the water.

10424. Do you know of any other land in this locality suitable for repatriation purposes?—There is not the slightest doubt that the land they have at the North end of that area is infinitely better than the land they propose to use. There would be a better chance of success if they used the land at the North end. Last week I went to Capel, and judging by what I saw there I am positive of it. The point is, they had this land cleared and the other land has not been cleared.

10425. What is the good of that if this is going to be a failure and the other would prove a success?—It will be a failure if they start the poor devils growing oranges on 10-acre blocks. It is suitable for dairying. The worst bit of that land is the corner at the end where Dr. Harvey is now. It was covered with stunted blackboys, crab hills, and titree scrub. It is incredible to see that paddock now; it is covered with clover, and that is the worst of the whole lot.

10426.By Mr. Venn: Do you think a man could make a living by dairying on 40 acres?—I think he could knock along, but he would want a bit of a run as well.

10427. Do you think dairying will eventually be an industry here?—That is what we will all have to come here. There are already some settlers dairying here, but a good deal of it has been on the old style where they stop milking at Xmas. I have a crop of maize in now and I have been through the South-West and I have not seen anything to equal it. There is no question about it, we can grow the stuff here. The distance of my place from Perth is 86 miles. There is one matter I want to mention and it is with regard to fruit cases and the increase in prices. About three weeks ago I was at Donnybrook in connection with the co-operative company; and out at Lowden Mr. Davern told me that he had a very good plant there and he could cut those cases at a profit of 3s. 6d. and he would be allowing himself £1 a day for his own time. The Government charges 10s. 3d. for the same case. We are paying overhead charges and for all the idle mills and plant. But the trouble with the small mills is that you cannot depend upon supplies.

10428. By Mr. CLARKSON: Can you suggest any direction by which the cost of producing can be reduced?—I think the movement which is on foot for the establishment of co-operative companies will largely help in that direction. The industry will not stand the charges we have been paying. When I came here 10 years ago I was managing for Dr. Havey and I was able to get better men for 7s. a day than I can get now for 10s. The men we employ to-day do not understand the work as well as the men we employed some years ago.

10429. Have you been concerning yourself in the direction of trying to find a market for second and third grade fruits?—I would cut out the third grade fruit altogether. If a man grows third grade fruit, he should give it to the pigs, but for the second grade fruits we anticipate having a big market in the wheat belt. The first grade fruit is for the metropolitan area. The distribution of the fruit will be through the local co-operative society. Then there will be a central exchange in Perth which will take control of our market in Perth. If the whole thing goes as we expect it to do, we will be regulating the whole of the supplies. The central exchange will be responsible for every case of fruit that is sold by it. In the returns sent to the growers we are deducting 10 per cent. to provide for compensations that will have to be made. That deduction will be from the