good condition, consequently I do no carry too many. My lambs and sheep cut on an average 9lbs. of wool this year. I have three to four acres of lucerne that I put them on. The cost of clearing is from 30s. to 40s. per acre. I consider it would cost over 10s. per acre to clear the poison off the country that they were going to select for the soldiers. It is very thick in places. 15,000 to 20,000 acres of this land are available.

10740. To Mr. VENN: There is no dairying done in the district. As a matter of fact it is not a dairying district.

10741. Have you tried any other lines of production?—I used to grow melons in my orchard as well as fruit. I sold them direct to the mill hands, and they me then.

10742. To Mr. VENN: I do not irrigate the lucerne. It goes back in the summer. I consider however, that a lot of the land along the Blackwood River is suitable for irrigation. I have my lucerne 3cwt. of super. and bonedust when I put it in. Of course, if people on the Blackwood River went in for irrigation, they could carry on dairying satisfactorily. There is an unlimited supply of water from this source.

10743. By Mr. PAYNTER: Are there any matters you would like to bring under the notice of the Commission likely to benefit the district?—I should like to see more settlers induced to come here. I do not consider that the poison leases are sufficiently liberal so far as the terms are concerned. If the land laws were liberalised, the Government would soon get a return from the produce derived from this land. I refer to the poison country mentioned before.

10744. To Mr. VENN: The wool produced in this district is very good. There are other witnesses who will speak on this.

10745. To Mr. PAYNTER: There are some very fair patches of land that could be settled in this district. (The witness retired.)

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THOMAS GEORGE DRAPER, Darling Hill, Dinninup, sworn and examined:

10746. To Mr. PAYNTER: I have been here 35 years. I have 2,600 acres, of which 1,000 acres is freehold and the balance conditional purchase and grazing lease. It adjoins the railway line with the exception of 1,000 acres, which is nine miles away. It is all fenced, 500 acres cleared and 400 acres fit for the plough. I have the necessary buildings and home, five acres planted with various fruits, and carry from 800 to 1,000 head of sheep. This is not the full carrying capacity. I could carry 1,200 all the year round. I favour the strong wool merino sheep. I came here with 3s. 6d. in my pocket, and 300 sheep and 3 horses. I am now in a satisfactory position, and consider my prospects good. I have reared a family of 14. My nearest market years ago was Bunbury. The railway of course has been a great boon.

10747. To Mr. VENN: I consider the value of the best freehold land in this district not more than £3 per acre.

10748. How are the new settlers doing?—They are not doing well. The poison is a great drawback. The land is only fit for sheep when the poison has been got rid off. It would not carry more than a sheep to 10 acres. It is necessary to cultivate for two years in order to keep down the scrub. I think the Government should be more generous in their terms. I consider the poison lands should be free of rent for five years. The average poison land is not worth more than 3s. per acre. It costs so much to get the poison out. Some is only worth only 1s. per acre. I grub all the poison I can find in the first place, and then stock it as hard as I can for a number of years. This will kill the old stuff out. Then I put a fire through it and the seed comes up. Sheep put on then will keep this down, then I burn again. A lot of the seed does not germinate for a long time, so that you see it takes years to get of the poison. I do not consider this a dairying district as a whole. The season is too short. As for growing artificial grasses, the country is not good enough, and the summer is too long. The winter is sever and the grass comes slowly. When the heat comes it dries up very quickly. Subterranean clover has been tried, but this soon dries up. The English dandelion is coming along, and has improved the carrying capacity on the damp places, where it kills out the other grasses.

10749. It is a good district for wool is it not?—Yes, the big sheep will cut 7lbs. and the lambs 3lbs., although last year the sheep only ran to about 6lbs.

10750. By Mr. PAYNTER: Have you any suggestions to offer the Commission for the improvement of the district?—I think it would be of great benefit to the country if the Government reduced the price of the land. I have 1,000 acres on the 4-Mile Gully. Mr. Brockman told me I would get it at 3s. per acre. I fenced it and netted it, but it only carries 130 sheep. Eventually I obtained the price, and it ranged from 7s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. per acre. I appealed against this price, and they would not reduce it. I had spent £230, and they would not let me remove the fence. I paid £100 in rent, and the fencing cost me £25 a mile. I am willing now to lose £100 on it. If it was improved and cultivated it would carry more stock, and if the Government would reduce the price I would improve it. It is no good for a poor man to try and better the land. The roads board rates coming on top of this makes it very difficult. If the land was given away on strict improvement clauses, it would be of advantage to the State, and to the individual also. There is practically no country available here except poison land. From here to Jaye's there is a lot of good land, but all infested with poison. If stock get into it, they are killed off at once. I have lost a lot of sheep getting through the fences. (The witness retired.)

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AUGUSTINE BILSON, representing Messrs. McKenzie & Co., Farmers, Dinninup, sworn and examined:

10751. To Mr. PAYNTER: I have been 10 years in this district. I was engaged in farming before I took up this land. I was at Wilberforce, Hamersley's place, then I was at Kojonup. Altogether the farm has 4,300 acres. Half of it is freehold, four miles from the railway. It is all fenced, and 624