JAMES SHAW, Farmer Cookernunp, sworn and examined:

11201: To the CHAIRMAN:I have been nine month in the district. I had previous experience in farming in Lillydale, Victoria. I an leasing a property here of 1,150 acres. It is one miles from the railway station , all fenced, and sheep proof. About 250 acres are cleared all of which has been under the plough. I have five acres of orchard. There is an old house of 10 rooms on the place and all the necessary farm buildings. I have the required plant to work the land, 55 head of cattle, 11 horses, 19 sheep and three pigs. My living is derived from dairying and grazing stock. I am just making end meet.

11202. What are your principal drawbacks?—Bad drainage and want of experience. I had no idea of the nature of the country here.

11203. In what respect is the drainage bad— It is the fault of the drainage scheme from the Harvey river. I have 290 acres which is absolutely useless, on account of it being under water in the winter. There is another paddock of 90 acres that the Harvey river runs through. On the 290 acres the drain runs through the property and the river is not sufficiently cleared to enable the drain to empty into it. The whole drawback on my farm is want of drainage, and if the Government had completed the Harvey drainage scheme I should be all right. In the winter time the water is up to one's waist. The fact of this drain not being satisfactory makes the roads impassable in places. The country want lime badly, and although there is a deposit seven miles from here, containing 90 per cent of carbonate of lime. It has not been opened out. This was brought to the notice of the member for the district and three weeks ago someone came down and inspected it and took samples. There is one resident here, Mr. Thomas Logue, who has had some of this lime carted and put on to his hill country and there is a marked difference where it has been applied. The lime is all ready for application to the land. The property where the lime is should be resumed, and a road made in order that settlers can obtain it. I have one the finest properties in the district with a five years' lease and the right of purchase. I should like to impress upon you the necessity of drainage being provided for the district.

(The witness retired)

GRAVES BICKLEY MITCHELL, Farmer, Yarloop, sworn examined:

11204. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been settled on the land in this district for 35 years. I have 1,200 acres This is, I believe, freehold, but am only renting it. It is all fenced, 150 acres cleared, all of which has been under the plough. There is about half an acre of orchard, a good farm homestead and buildings, and I have the necessary implements to work the land. I have been carrying up to 700 sheep. At the present time the property is carrying 400 sheep, 10 horses, six cattle and three pigs. My living is derived from dairying, the sheep and grazing.

11205 By the CHIARMAN: The Government has sent this Commission through the agricultural districts in order to ascertain in what respect assistance can be given to the agriculturists?—There is one thing that is very necessary, and that is drainage. My farm is drain well, but the fall of the water from my land into the Harvey drain is such that the water has no chance of getting away with the present scheme. The channels are silted up. It is no good our draining our farm when the scheme is not sufficient to carry the water away. The scheme now is putting water on to the land which would not be under water if the scheme were not there.

11206. to Mr. VENN: I have not gone in for dairying, although I believe that dairying should go ahead in this district. It is no good starting dairying, however, without proper cows. I heard an instance the other day where a good cow was bought in Eider Shenton's yard. The people who bought her were dairying with eight or ten cows and were getting eight cans of cream per month from this number. In the first month that they had this cow, instead of eight cans, they sent away 10 cans. This cow gave two cans of cream or equal to 14lbs. of butter per week. It is no good unless you go in for the best of cows. I consider, now that I could have done better in dairying than in sheep. The thing which would be of advantage to this district is a good water supply. The people of Cookernup have not got a good supply, in many places it is salt. The Government sent down a boring plant and after trying for water it proved no good. I should say that it would have been a good idea to have run the water from Clarke's Brook to Cookernup by gravitation. this would have been given everyone a good supply. Dams have not been tried in this district. I think that the ground would require a lot of preparation before it could be made to hold.

(The witness retired).