the right man, and secondly provide him with sufficient land to go on with, and thirdly see that the money advanced is properly expended. I consider that a man should have from 100 to 200 acres, that is 100 acres of the best or 200 acres of mixed land. In regard to the prices of land in this new country, I consider the unimproved value of the land in the Warren district is nil. It is only the labour that is put into the land that is any good. The grazing value is nil is that, given an average 100 acres and you will have to spend £20 per acre on it, but you cannot get anyone to give you £2,000 for it.

10941. To Mr VENN: So far as dairying is concerned, I have no figures I can give you, but I know from those who were dairying last year that there was one cream can sent away from here, whereas this year there have been 40 cans. Four years ago we did not get 1lb. of local butter per week in the store : three years ago we got 40 to 50lbs. per week. It increased then from 100 to 200lbs. Last year we got up to 500lbs. per week and this year I find I cannot get rid of it and send it to Perth. This year the supply was greater than the demand from the Mills and it was sent to Fremantle. It only realised 1s. 0¾d. a lb. The Department of Agriculture has done nothing to help the industry in this district.

10942. To Mr PAYNTER: The railway facilities are good for the carriage of cream to Bunbury. They are talking of starting a cop-operative company here. I consider that we should obtain the best dairying strains of cattle and sell them on the deferred payment system. The Agricultural Department should assist in this direction. Besides this, settlers want instruction in the matter of cultivating suitable crops. My suggestion was that we should form a local co-operative company for the purpose of assisting in educating the people and of obtaining good dairy stock, bulls particularly. We can then enter into an agreement with the Bunbury butter factory and send them all our cream and as soon as we had produced a sufficient quantity of butter fat they would erect a branch factory in this town. The local people wanted to build a factory here but this would be no good. For five months of the year we could supply sufficient cream to keep a branch factory going and for the other seven months we could send to the Bunbury butter factory. We must work with the parent body, that is the Bunbury butter factory. I want particularly to impress you with the necessity of having a local Advisory Board. Money has been wasted here daily for the want of supervision, but with a live Agricultural Department the future of this district is assured.

(The witness retired.)

JAMES CAREY SAUNDERS, Saddler and Farmer, Manjimup, sworn and examined:

10943. To Mr PAYNTER: I have two sons working the farm. I have been seven years in the district. I have 428 acres, of C.P. land, for which I pay 25s. and 27s. 6d. per acre. it is 3½ miles from the railway. It is all fenced and 40 acres cleared fit for the plough. I have the necessary house and buildings. I have three cows, 6 calves and one horse. I have 12 acres of orchard between six and seven years old, planted mostly to export apples. Last year we sold 60 cases of fruit. I tried to get land in the Bridgetown district, but Mr Paterson told me that there was none available there, so I came on here. I started with £527 and obtained a loan from the Agricultural Bank of £175. My position to-day is that it takes me all my time to pay my way. I think, however, I can pull through. My greatest difficulty is that the expense of the farm is more than I can stand. I have to go out to work in order to keep it going. My two sons are working night and day on the farm. When I first applied for this land at Bridgetown I was not aware that I could get a free homestead farm on the ringbarked property. The time went on and I found my neighbours had homestead farms. The lands officer did not tell me that I could obtain a homestead farm. I consider that he should have done so. When I did apply he told me that it was too late now, that the papers had all been fixed up. I applied for a reduction in the price of the land in consequence. A lot of people are getting reductions in the price of their land and I have applied and got nothing. I consider a fair price for the ringbarked country would be 12s. 6d. per acre, that is 10s. the price of the land and 2s. 6d. for the ringbarking. I have always paid my rent, so far. Mr Willmott advised us to apply if we considered the price of our land too high. I have done so and got no relief yet. They have given me an extension on the term but this is no good. I want a reduction of the price in order to start development. If things do not improve for me I shall either have to sell out or leave it.

10944. I intend to go in for dairying later on. My cows are particularly good but we are making from three cows 18s. per week. I have started to put in grasses. I have four acres of grass land so far and I grew seven tons of oats from six acres of ground which I put in.

10945. To Mr PAYNTER: If the price of my land is reduced I can do well. Rents, rates and taxes cost me £1 a week. My boys are getting no wages at all.

(The witness retired.)

ALFRED CHARLES REEVE, Farmer, Westwood, Balbarrup, sworn and examined:

10946. To Mr PAYNTER: I have been 46 years in the district. I was born here. I have 1,000 acres, 220 acres of freehold and the balance C.P. The nearest is 2½ miles from the siding. It is all fenced and 150 acres fit for the plough. I have all the necessary plant for working the property, and four acres of orchard planted with mixed fruits. I also have the necessary buildings and am carrying 300 sheep, 30 head of cattle, 8 horses and 15 pigs. I started with no capital and my position is satisfactory to-day. I went out and earned money which I put into the land. The sheep are my principal standby. I go in for the Romney Marsh and Shropshire cross-bred. The natural grasses are no good. Cattle will do better in the bush but sheep must have good pasture. Ricketts are a serious trouble with cattle. 10947. BY Mr VENN: How do you deal with the zamia palm?—We kill it out by piercing with a crow bar and applying kerosene. This cost about