manure, 12 ewt. at 10s., £6; planting, £1 18s.; hoeing, one man two days at 9s., 18s.; horse cultivation, one man and horse, 12s. 6d.; spraying twice, one man two days, 18s.; spraying material, 10s.; bags, four-ton crop, 64 bags at 1s. 6d. per bag, £4 16s.; carting, two miles, 15s.; average cost of one acre potatoes, £25 7s. 6d. The local grower, therefore, under present conditions, cannot hold his own. A maximum price is fixed, and we are prohibited from getting back anything when we make a loss, but there is nothing to prevent the bottom going right out of the market if we have a few to sell. Last season the average price we got was only about £6. If they fix a maximum they should also fix a minimum which would be about £7 a ton. We would not lose at any rate. This year we have been hit harder than ever before, and they fixed the price.

10437. By Mr. CLARKSON: What would be the average crop of the district in the last five years?—About four tons. (The witness retired.)

ROBERT MURRAY WILSON, Storekeeper, sworn and examined:

10438. To the CHAIRMAN: The only question I wish to bring under the notice of the Commission is that relating to freights. I have been asked to enter a protest against the proposed increases. We contend that the country people are already sufficiently taxed, and cannot afford to pay any more.

(The witness retired.)

The Commission adjourned.

TUESDAY, 18th DECEMBER, 1917. (At Burrekup.)

Present: J. O. Giles, Esq., Chairman. B. L. Clarkson, Esq., | H. H. Paynter, Esq. F. E. Venn, Esq.

GEORGE NORMAN LOWE, Poultryman and Orchardist, sworn and examined.

10439. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been in this district for 11 years. I have had no previous experience. Before I came here I was a bank clerk. I hold 37 acres of land, and it is a quarter of a mile from the railway station. The land is freehold, and all fenced and cleared. The building on the property consist of a dwelling and farm and poultry sheds. I have nine acres under citrus fruits and half an acre under mixed fruits. I have a set of implements and three working horses. I had no capital when I started. I took over the land three years ago from my father. Up to then I had been managing it. I have found it necessary to raise financial assistance.

10440. Is capital readily available from the banks for intense culture of this kind?—No.

10441. What do you estimate it costs to establish an acre of citrus fruits in full profitable bearing?—In my case it cost £80.

10442. Is the balance of your land outside the orchard fully cleared of trees?—Yes. The other is cultivated. There is a small patch in lucerne and five or six acres of crop. There are 10 or 11 acres of swamp on which I am running horses. I have about 1,700 head of white leghorns.

10443. By Mr. VENN: What was the cost of that land?—£12.

10444. You have also gone in for potato growing?—Yes.

10445. By Mr. PAYNTER: Do you find with an average market that poultry keeping is a payable proposition?—Yes, up till now.

10446. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you find your citrus orchard profitable?—So far it has just about paid expenses. I have had bad luck with floods.

10447. By Mr. CLARKSON: What would you need to get for your oranges to make the orchard payable?—I would need 4s. a case to clear expenses.

10448. Can you suggest anything by which the cost of production can be decreased?—By a reduction in the price of manure. I think the other expenses are down to bed rock.

10449. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you generally carry 1,700 fowls?—That is the full capacity just now. I usually carry about 800. My average out-turn in eggs per week would be 170 or 180 dozen. I pay a high price for stud birds. The eggs cost me just over 7d. a dozen to produce to make a profit. I expect to receive this season just over 1s. 6d. on rails here.

10450. Have you been able to make a success of your work on the land here?—Yes, chiefly through the poultry.