11412. By the CHAIRMAN: How do you feed them?—I feed them on skim milk, pollard, and pumpkins.

11413. Do you think dairying is becoming more popular here?—Yes; the farmers are increasing the dairy herds. Five years ago we were sending away ten gallons, and now we are sending away from 70 to 80 gallons.

11414. Have you any other complaints that you would like to place before us?—No. The railway service is the principal one. One thing I should like to point out. There are several people in a small way in my district who cater for the milk trade in Perth, and when there is a glut they send their milk to Macfarlane at 6d. per gallon. In good seasons we get 1s. 1d. to 1s. 2d. per gallon/ When the milk is unsaleable many of these people make butter and sell in the local market at 1s. 2d., when butter fat at the factory is 1s. 5d. a pound. The quality of the butter is the cause of this. They do not make a uniform grade article. I consider the people require more education in regard to factory systems. When I was dairy expert to the department I started the Denmark factory, which was a most promising place. The people had no idea of dairying when I went there, and the same thing applies here when they cannot send their milk away. They often feed their fresh milk to the pigs. If they were educated in regard to factory requirements they could make more profit out of the business. I consider the people should send their produce to the factory rather than try and make it up themselves.

11415. By the CHAIRMAN: Is there any particular reason why you do not send to Macfarlane?—Well, in connection with the butter factories, there is a board of directors which is responsible, to the suppliers, whereas, on the other hand, the private individual is responsible to no one. There is a lot of dissatisfaction in regard to proprietary or private factories as regards the returns received.

11416. Supposing you had to sell your milk on the export basis, say at 6d. per gallon, how would you get on then? Could you make that price pay?—I do not think so under the present state of affairs. I believe also that the Railway Department are doing themselves out of a good deal of freight by altering the train service. Messrs. Currie Bros. were paying £2 to £3 for freight, and as soon as the train service was altered they ceased to pay this, and put on their own vehicles. We made representations to Mr Lord in the matter, but he gave is no consideration at all. At the time we interviewed him he wanted to know whether we wanted to run the railways.

(The witness retired.)

ROBERT HANHAM BRIGGS, Dairyman, Beenup.

11417. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been for nine years on the farm I now occupy. I have 600 acres, 400 acres are freehold, and the balance conditional purchase. Fifty acres of my land is not much good, but the rest is first class. It is all fenced, 80 acres cleared. I have a house, the necessary buildings and implements, seven horses, 40 cows, and 20 head of young stock. I started with practically nothing except 15 head of cattle. I am free of debt to-day with the exception of money owing the Government for tree pulling 100 acres.

11418. Are you satisfied with your prospects?—Yes. The only thing we have to complain of is the train service, we had to discontinue sending milk to Perth. the train now delivers our milk in Perth at 8.20 p.m. It is put on the Bunbury train ex Beenup at 7.50 p.m. This, of course, is too late to do the best with the milk. It should arrive in Perth at about 7.20 p.m. In regard to the morning service, this is not satisfactory either. It is too early. The train leaves Beenup at 6.14 a.m. If it arrived at 7.10 it would go in with the bulk of the Armadale milk. Now it has to lie on the Perth station from 7.40 till 8.52 a.m. Sunday morning's train does not arrive in Perth till 10.30 a.m. and we do not get a train that evening at all. The train service means everything to the district as we can now compete with the men more favourably situated. Some people have gone out of business.

11419. To Mr VENN: My cows average about 54 gallons per day from 36 cows. I consider we have a good lot of cows. We rear all our own young stock of course.

11420. How do you feed your calves?—We rear these on about one pint of milk to which we all pollard.

(The witness retired.)