is a most important one. At Cookernup there is a settlement on the large clay plain whom the matter of drainage is a very important one. Drainage there would be very easy as there is a valley right down to the Harvey River and there is a certain overlay of loose material and below this the stiff clay. Drainage in this country would be very beneficial. A most important matter in the district of Waroona to Harvey is that there is something wanting in the soil. I believe lime will supply this deficiency. The stock do not thrive although there is an abundance of grass. Cattle go still and double jointed. When I settled there 25 years ago I tried to go in for dairying. I had a good herd of cattle and the cows had plenty of grass and plenty of range, but they did no good. They became hide bound. Twelve miles away on the lime stone ranges where there is not nearly the amount of grass, the cows were sleek and fat and gave good returns. In the paddock I have sold that would only keep five or six head of cattle then, and in bad condition at that, now they are keeping 20 to 40 head of cattle and horses with grass up to their knees. The land has been cleared, cultivated, and dressed with phosphatic manures, and this accounts for the improvement no doubt. I took a sample of soil from my place to the Government Analyst, and asked him to tell me what was the matter with it and all he could tell me was that the soil was poor. I considered there was something in the soil that needed counteracting. I have been down twice to see this State orchard that there has been so much talk about. I consider that a great mistake has been made. In the first place they should not have gone in for such a large orchard. If Mr Willmott had had five or six acres on the north side grubbed out, it would have been justified. I consider that the soil in which some of the trees were growing could not have been beaten. In regard to irrigation. This is another important matter, and 50 years hence I believe that all this plain will be one big garden irrigated from the hills. We have the water and it is only a matter of conserving this and bringing it on to the plains. Meantime I consider that a great deal could be done without the water. Where the land is well cultivated it does not want much water.

11131. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you consider that drainage should come first?—Yes, I do.

11132. By Mr PAYNTER: Do you think that this is good country for new settlement?—I have had no experience in other parts of the world, but I should say that a young man could not do much better than by settling here. There is a lot of land here underdeveloped, and development is wanted to keep the State going, but the great difficulty is that a man must have money to commence with. Just below where I am there is a lot of splendid land reclaimed but no notice is taken of it. With a few acres of this land a man could do wonders. It wants knowledge and energy, but a difficulty is to keep the pot boiling while development goes on. The Cookernup plains produce wonderful feed, and if a man took 10 acres of this plain, fallowed it at the end of winter and next season gave it a dressing of some phosphatic manure, at about 2cwt. to the acre, he could get on average one ton of hay to the acre. After cropping for two years and dressing again with manures I believe that the stock feeding on it would keep it in heart for five years. Then it should be turned up again. The land has a stiff subsoil.

11133. Do you consider that it would be preferable to plough up the couch as it appears?—No, I consider couch is preferable to the natural grasses. Trefoil improves the soil. Any of the clovers will benefit the country and provide excellent food for stock. I consider that this country is suffering on account of the quality of our legislators. Until we have an unpaid Parliament throughout Australia I do not consider that the country will progress.

(The witness retired.)

ARTHUR ERNEST CLIFTON, Farmer, Brunswick, sworn and examined:

11134. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been settled 17 years on the land in this district. I have three parcels of land, in all 795 acres. 700 acres are freehold and the balance C.P. The homestead is 2½ miles from the railway, 400 acres in son the Collie line, half a mile from the siding, and another block is 3½ miles from the station. It is all fenced and subdivided into small paddocks. there are about 200 acres of homestead farm under cultivation and at the 400 acres in the hill country I have killed out the zamia palm and ringbarked it. I have no commercial orchard. I go in for potatoes a good deal. Each year I plant about 10 acres, that is 5 acres in each crop. Altogether 30 acres of my land has been under potatoes. I have a good house and buildings and a full farming plant for working the land. I do not carry sheep all the year round. I buy and sell. At the present time I have 150 sheep, 40 head of dairy stock and about 12 horses, and we generally have about 12 pigs. I started with very little capital. I had a position in Kimberley from where I sent £100 to pay a deposit on land. I have been able to develop it without borrowing money except for the completion of purchase. The banks have a mortgage on the property now. I find I can get all the money I want from the banking institutions.

11135. By the CHAIRMAN: You consider that the attitude of the banks towards farmers in this district is sympathetic?—Yes.

11136. From what do you obtain the principal part of your income?—I go in for dairying. This is my principal line.

11137. By Mr PAYNTER: What returns do you get from potatoes?— It is difficult to say. I do not consider that we get a great deal out of it. Our yields vary very considerably. Sometimes we get 10 tons and sometimes hardly get our seed back. The average is about four tons to the acre. This is payable provided the market is at £7 to £8 per ton. I use heavy dressings of manure. I go as high as 15cwt. to the acre, but since we cannot get potash we are not getting the returns we used to. I alternate the crops with oats and peas.

11138. What variety of potato do you find does best?—We grow the Delaware.

11139. Do you find the seed running out?—No, the trouble is to keep it pure. When planting the summer crop for which we use the round seed it is hard to detect the Delaware from other varieties that are similar in appearance. For the following crop where you plant the bug tubers it is an easy