my direction the work would certainly have been very much better. Professor Lowrie, when he first came here, and also the members of the Scottish Commission, commented very favourably upon the scheme as they saw it at Brunswick. The Scottish Commissioners stated that the Lucerne they had seen there was the finest in Australia. This was at the time I had charge.

11682. Can you give the costs incurred by the Government in establishing the irrigation area at the Brunswick State Farm? —The original plant cost approximately a little less than £1,000. The men employed, my services, and everything directly and indirectly, including the clearing, is in that sum. Tests that were conducted there during the time that Mr. Despeissis was Director of Agriculture and subsequently during Professor Lowrie's term, were of the utmost value to the State. It is only necessary to quote men like Professor Lowrie, I think, to demonstrate this. He said—

"I was more than surprised to find at the Brunswick State Farm such a wealth of luxuriant and sound foliage, of different varieties, produced upon the comparatively few acres which have as yet been reclaimed. The Lucerne appears to me, as far as one could gauge its value from its appearance and growth, to be little, if at all behind the Lucerne grown on the very valuable lands devoted to its cultivation in the vicinity of Adelaide. And it was almost equal to the growth on the Sewerage Farm, where Lucerne land lets for £10 per acre per annum rent, and where the lessee performs all the labour. I consider that the irrigation engineer has been very successful in working his scheme on such lines as would bring it within the means of every practical farmer. However, I may say that everything seems to be upon as economical and thrifty basis, and cheaply carried out, while at the same time it is essentially a good, useful, working job. From my point of view, such work as I saw there carried out, is more instructive and more utilitarian than would have been a more elaborate and expensive engineering scheme, accompanied by concrete channels and other costly accessories."

11683. You can tell us nothing, however, in regard to the Brunswick State Farm since 1912?—No.

11684. Despite to the fact that you were irrigation expert in the Department of Agriculture?—I cannot, but I have been away from my duties for a very considerable time.

11685. By Mr. PAYNTER : And the plots, therefore, are now outside your control?—Yes, absolutely.

11685a. Who does control the work?—The farm manager.

11686. Can you give us details of any other irrigation schemes carried out by the State or private individuals which you consider satisfactory?—Yes, and I might say that I do not consider in any of the other States you can obtain the same particulars as I am able to give you. To begin with a form is sent to every man who is using water for irrigation purposes asking the source of the water supply, that is the names of the river or brook, the amount of available water, the quantity used for irrigation, whether pumped or gravitated, whether a pumping plant is used, the power of the engine and pump, length of piping and height to which water is lifted, the crops grown, the area irrigated, whether the scheme is payable, the cost of preparing the land the cost of the plant. I have some reports here received in response to these inquiries. The settlers have been very good in supplying these reports and in this way we are able to see at a glance the activities of each man in the State so far as his irrigation work is concerned. I should like to say too that these reports are posted to us so that you will understand there is no possible chance of any coercion or manipulation in regard thereto. I have got out from these reports an analysis of theirs activities so far as has been possible, and they are particularly informative. This was done under the following headings :—The original source of the water supply, the means employed for procuration and utilisation, the cost of installing the plant, the area in acres, crops treated, and a remarks column showing whether the scheme has been payable or not. The State has been cut up into sections, and each locality has been worked on this system so that at a glance you can show the cost of any man's plant and activities.

11687. Apparently you have very complete details of the irrigation schemes. Which of those schemes have been satisfactory?—The greatest factor for determining that is the individual farmer himself. By these returns he shows whether or not his activities are payable.

11688. Who are these persons to whom you refer?—Men dealing with irrigation in a small way. There are 322 of them on the return submitted, an out of these 322, 230 answered that their activities were payable, 37 replied no, and 55 could not say as yet.

11689. Apart from the opinions of the men themselves, which of these irrigation schemes do you consider are satisfactory?—They may be satisfactory one year and not the next. Undoubtedly the war during the last two or three years has had a marked influence on the work.

11690. Do I understand that you cannot point out any satisfactory irrigation schemes?—Take Ephraim Clarke, at Roelands; he irrigates about 20 acres of potatoes successfully.

11691. Irrigates before planting?—Yes. A great number of men at Osborne Park irrigate. In fact, it might be said that the whole of the vegetables produced during the summer months for use on the goldfields and in Perth are produced under irrigation.

11692. Do you call Osborne Park irrigation work?—Undoubtedly. There you have locks and weirs. The water is held up and lowered, and there is a great number of small pumping plants.

11693. Are the Osborne Park growers included in this total?—Yes. But apart from the 322, in the return submitted, there are others. I am speaking of only the actual returns received.

11694. Well, apart from Osborne Park and Mr. Clarke?—There is Mr. Rath at Harvey, and Mr. Loaring of Bickley.

11695. Would you call his an irrigation scheme?—Undoubtedly. He has a long system of piping and a system of sprinklers. Two months ago I advised him on the further laying out of the work.

11696. He told us that from a small weir in a creek at the back of his land he conveyed the water by piping to the orchard where it was simply distributed by guttering to the trees?—He has a system of sprinklers, too.