TUESDAY, 12TH FEBRAURY, 1918

At Waroona.

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

THOMAS CRORKAN, Farmer, Hamel, sworn and examined:

11207. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been 16 years farming in this district. I have 80 acres of land; it is mostly C.P. and half a mile from the railway station. It is all good land, all fenced, cleared, and under the plough. I have a house and the necessary farm buildings, a set of implements and two horses. My buildings cost me £500. I started with about £150 and had some assistance from the Agricultural Bank but have since paid that off and am now free of debt. My principal source of living is derived from potatoes.

11208. To Mr. VENN: The best yield I have had from my potatoes was 11 tons to the acre. For the past two years I have not cropped as much as I used to. I usually put in two acres about four times a year. I plant in the middle of July, in August, at the end of October and February. This district is a particularly good one. The Government made a new drain which carries water on to country which was no good before but now there is 1,000 acres of land on which you can grow potatoes and carry lots of stock. I should like to speak on the question of the Lake Clifton lime deposits. We have been concerned bout this for a long time. Lime is required in the district and it is out there in millions of tons. Action should be taken to see that farmers have placed it at their disposal. We were advised that lime could be delivered unscreened at 10s. per ton and 12s. per ton screened on trucks at Waroona. This contains not less than 80 per cent. of carbonate of lime. It is under a special lease granted under the Lake Clifton Act of 1916 No. 17. So far, however, nothing has been done and we consider that the terms of this Act should be enforced.

11209. By Mr. VENN: Have you any difficulty in getting pure seed potatoes?—Yes. You cannot buy pure seed potatoes. you will find them a very mixed lot, and in districts such as this it is a very unfortunate matter to have an early potato, medium early, and late potato in one crop. In regard to seed potatoes, it is easily remedied. If the potato grower did the same as the flock owner and selected only his best seed, he would do all right. Unfortunately they usually only pick out the small seed for planting and consequently get a poor return.

11210. By the CHAIRMAN: Can you tell use anything about the drainage which was put in here?—They spent £55,000 in the drainage area here. This raised the men on the land from struggling people to prosperous farmers.

11211. By Mr. VENN: Referring again to potatoes, is there any disease in the crops here now?—The only trouble caused by people using too much water. Neither will they take special trouble with their seed. I usually grow a good sample of pumpkins here also. It is a Queensland variety which I obtained from the State farm. The same remarks apply in regard to seed for this crop. You must be careful with your seed. This country does not want further drainage, it is complete here, and I consider for other portions of the South-West it is as necessary as the Goldfields Water Supply scheme was to fight the goldfields. There should be a main drain right through the flats.

(The witness retired.)

JOHN HANLEY HALL, Farmer, Waroona, sworn and examined:

11212. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been 25 years farming in this district. I have 130 acres. My wife also has 300 acres. I have 130 acres freehold, and 160 freehold in my wife's name. The balance is C.P. 130 acres are one mile from the railway station; the balance five miles. I do not consider I have any first class land.

11213. By Mr. CLARKSON: How much land have you that you consider you could grow such crops as potatoes and maize on?—Practically 100 acres, but it is not land on which you can grow anything without applying manures of such nature as to produce crops.

11214. To the CHAIRMAN: All of my land is fenced and 120 acres is cleared and all the cleared land has been under the plough.

11215. How much of the land has been devoted to intense culture?—Approximately 20 acres. I have the necessary house of four rooms, sheds, and stables, and implements to work the land. I have four horses, 10 head of cattle, 150 sheep, and six pigs. I started with no capital. I am not in debt and derive my living from mixed farming. I cannot, however, make a decent living, say 10s. per day, such as the working man gets. I am just about making both ends meet.

11216. By Mr. CLARKSON: Do you have to work as hard as the man does who gets 10s. per day?—Yes, and the hours are longer.

11217. To Mr. VENN: I do not find potato growing profitable?— I have to put too much manure in.