2nd Progress Report - Part 2

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This transcription is complete

TUESDAY, 12TH FEBRUARY, 1918.

At Cookernup ("Homebush").

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

WILLIAM WILSHUSEN, Farmer, Yalup Brooke, sworn and examined:

11153-4. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been settled here since 1916. I have 160 acres on my own place, and I am representing another big land owner. The 160 acres is a homestead block. It is 4½ miles from a railway station, all fenced, and about 40 acres cleared; 24 acres has been under the plough for intense culture. I produce pumpkins and other vegetables, millet, sorghum, etc. I have a five roomed house, no stabling, and only one shed. I have two horses and two cows. My living is derived principally from potato growing. I found I could make a satisfactory living on my holding, but I cannot do so now, though I have money coming from the property that I am managing. I consider about 60 acres of my property is first class and the balance is sand ridge and red rush country. I started with £150 capital. I have not found it necessary to borrow money so far. I am a married man.

11155-8. To Mr. VENN: I grow my potatoes in summer time on swamp land. My returns per acre have averaged five tons. This, however, was a very bad year on account of the frost in March. I find that the Delaware does best with me. I produce my own seed and have had no difficulty in this connection. I have been growing seed for the last four or five years and believe that, rather than deteriorating, it is improving. I think the average manure used this year was about 14cwt. My soil is black sandy swamp. I have not gone in for dairying yet, but intend to later on, when I have sufficient grass land laid down. The jarrah sandy country grows very little feed, and the banksia country is useless.

11159. Have you tried onion growing?—No; so far I have depended upon potatoes. The roads are so bad that you cannot get other produce through at the time it is produced. In the winter the roads are impassable.

11160. By the CHAIRMAN: There is one point I should like to clear up. You grow a winter crop of potatoes in order to provide seed for the summer crop?—Yes, that is the position.

11161. I understand that you are representing a number of settlers here and have some matter to lay before the Commission which you consider will benefit the district?—Yes, there is one matter in particular, namely, drainage.

11162. Has the State done any drainage in this district?—Yes. There is the big Harvey drain.

11163. Do you pay rates for this drain?—Yes, a rate per acre; I do not know what it is as they have not sent their account in since I have been here.

11164. By Mr. PAYNTER: Is this imposed by the roads board, or by the Government?—By the Government, I understand.

11165. By the CHAIRMAN: Are these drains satisfactory?—No. The main drain, in my opinion, is not graded properly. In places where the soil is of that nature known as coffee rock the drain is quite blocked up, while further on it is running. If they remove the coffee rock, the drain would not silt up.

11166. By Mr. PAYNTER: And you consider this is due to the fact that the drain is not sufficiently graded?—Yes. The big drain is silted above my place and the main body of the water comes down through my place and blocks the sides of the brook into which it is led.

11167. By Mr. VENN: Have the Government made any attempt to keep the drain in order?—Not in my time, and I understand they have not done so for some considerable period.

11168. Does the water couch do well here?—Yes. In one place there is about 12 acres laid down in water couch. On eight acres of this a man had 24 horses. Then the water rose and he could not keep his stock on it.

11169. By the CHAIRMAN: What is the other property you look after?—The property that I am referring to, which contains the water couch. The property comprises several thousand acres, of which, 150 to 200 acres have been ploughed. At the present time it is carrying 32 horses only. There six blocks altogether, four belong to Mr. J. M. Reid, one to Mr. Chas. Sommers, and another to Mr. Geo. Brand. Mr. Reid is in camp.

11170. Will this property carry more stock?—Yes, but not at the present time. When it is improved it will. Up to the time Mr. Reid went into camp he was carrying out improvements. If he could get rid of the water he could carry considerably more stock.

11171. By Mr. PAYNTER: Are there any large areas of land in this district which are not being improved?—There are considerable areas