2nd Progress Report - Part 2

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STEPHEN FRANCIS CONNING, Farmer, Busselton, sworn and examined:

11099. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been living here for 14 years. I am renting 3,600 acres of Mr Gale's property. The country carries 13 head of cattle, that is cows and young stock, 16 to 17 head of horses and about 130 to 150 sheep.

11100. To Mr PAYNTER: This seems to me the full carrying capacity. With more fencing I could no doubt carry more sheep after cultivation. I am going in principally for dairying.

11101. By the CHAIRMAN: How many cows are you milking?—About 35. This is the most I have had. I started three years ago with 17 head. They are not all good cows and the average return is about £12 per annum per cow. My herd required culling.

11102. Would you tell us what you think is required to send this district ahead?—From my point of view the country is very suitable for dairying. It needs development however. It takes two to three years to prepare this country for dairying and it is a question of money. Some parts are expensive to develop. Imported grasses should be introduced as the natural feed does not keep good all the year round. The land suitable for non-indigenous grasses needs development.

11103. To Mr PAYNTER: I consider the Ayrshire is the most suitable breed for this district. I believe in testing my cows and as soon as I can do so I shall start culling my herd. I have purchased a bull from the Claremont stud farm. We have to take pot luck with what we purchase from the State farm as they give no records of either sire or dam. The Commissioner for the South-West has given me advice in regard to the establishment of my dairy, but I do not know that any particular good has resulted from his advice. His advice at any rate was no good for my particular country.

11104. Do you practice irrigation?—I have not gone in for it this year on account of the price of oil. I go in for the flooding system of irrigation. I had to grub the land first at considerable expense. I have grown Lucerne and maize in the irrigated land. The water is applied from November to about the end of April, but unfortunately I started this scheme on the wrong class of soil. The water does not stop long enough on the land that I have prepared. It dries up three days after watering. I showed this land to the irrigation expert, Mr Scott, and he considered that it would be satisfactory. It is good soil to look at—very deep black sand. I think probably that a sprinkler irrigation system would have been more successful

11105. To the CHAIRMAN: I laid down five acres in this scheme. It cost me about £50 for the actual work, but the land was cleared before. It cost £10 to grade and the engine and plant cost me £150. the total cost would be £250. I only flooded three acres of this land and it used to take myself and another 2½ days to do it. A fair estimate of the cost of flooding would be £3 for the labour and 12s. for the oil. It would not pay me at this cost, as I have to flood it too often. It would pay well if only two floodings were necessary.

11106. Do you consider you can make a success of this property?—Yes.

11107. What is your experience of the butter factory?—The factory treats me fairly, but I consider that it could be better. I think we should get more for our cream. We should get 1s. 3d. for butter, which equals 1s. 5d. for butter fat. According to the papers you cannot buy butter in Perth under 1s. 8d. This butter is sold by the factory at 1s. 6d., which means that we are paid 3d. per pound for making the butter up. I should not say that the factory is getting 1s. 6d. but if they are, then they are making more than a fair thing for manufacturing, especially when they take advantage of the over run.

(The witness retired.)

FORREST CHARLES CARRUTHERS, Secretary of the Wharf Lumpers' Union, Busselton, sworn and examined: 1108. Bu the CHARIMAN: I presume you have come here to give us some definite advice?—yes, I should like to speak on the repatriation question. First I would say that all my union members are farmers and I would suggest that land should be cleared close to the town for mixed farming and for settlement of soldiers, also I think that the benefits under the Workers' Homes Act should be applied here. At the present time even we have not sufficient labour to work the boats, and have to depend upon farmers coming along to work the vessels. Of course there is not sufficient work to keep the lumpers only going. Between times that the men are employed on the wharf they could be developing their homestead blocks.

(The witness retired.)

WILLIAM RYAN REILLY, Farmer, Busselton, sworn and examined:

11109. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been living on the land in this district for 19 years. I was born in the district. I have about 450 acres, most of which is freehold. It is five miles from the railway station, all fenced and 100 acres cleared, all of which has been under the plough. I have no orchard, but go in for potatoes ; 70 acres of my land has been planted with potatoes at different time. I grow about 13 acres of potatoes per annum. I have a house and buildings on the land, the necessary plant, 12 horses, 40 head of cattle and 30 pigs. I started with £150 capital. I have borrowed from the Agricultural Bank but have since repaid most of it. I consider that I am making a success of it. I have reared a family of 12 on my holding and have lived better than I could have done on wages. My principal source of income is from pigs, dairying and potato growing, chiefly potatoes. I am milking 11 cows.

11110. To Mr PAYNTER: My average returns per annum from the potatoes equal five tons to the acre. I use 12cwt. of fertiliser to the acre. Generally I use Cumming Smith's "C" manure. There is no potash in it and this is an element that is required on my land after the first crop. I grow the Delaware variety. I have to buy seed sometimes as I have no swamp land, and find the seed runs out.

11111. It has been suggested that the Government should establish stud seed potato farms?—Yes, I consider that this is what the Government should do. I believe that all varieties of potato