selection?—Probably 420,000 acres (within this belt), but this is an estimate only.

12033. By the CHAIRMAN: Where are the principal areas comprised in the 100,000 acres the department has for sale outside the wheat belt in the South-West?—They are scattered. There is no considerable area in one place. The area is made up of small holdings scattered throughout. The figures include, you will understand, land that is not served by existing railways.

12034. Looking at the figures, there are three million acres reserved for timber, approximately three million acres have been sold, and a further three million acres are in process of alineation. This would imply that there are eight million acres unsuitable for selection?—Yes, unsuitable for agriculture. There is a lot of sandplain country which you will understand is perhaps not unsuitable for grazing, but not what you would call suitable for selecting. I have some lithos here and with which I can demonstrate what I mean. They convey a better idea than can be given by word of mouth. The figures of land available for selection which I have given you, namely 420,000 acre, are based on my own knowledge in the matter. (The witness proceeded to review the position as disclosed by the maps provided.) So far as the Nornalup district is concerned, this is where we have the most land available but it is 80 miles from the railway, There are other good districts of course, which, however, are reserved for forestry purposes. As advised under the heading of question 2, the Forestry Department is having a classification made in order to see what land can be taken out of the Forestry reserves for agricultural purposes.

12035. By Mr. VENN: How far does the good land run up the Kent River?—It is only patchy. I consider most of it useless.

12036. And north of Denmark is there much good country?—No, it is still patch. In compiling the return of 420,000 acres considered available for future selection, I took out all of the land that I considered suitable.

12037. The WITNESS: West of Muchea there is a lot of country which is all sandy banksia with small swamps here and there. South of Bridgetown you will see (indicating on the plan) that is mostly reserved for timber. We have men there now taking up the country that can be settled. They will not find much, I am afraid. There is some nice country along the Blackwood, but north and south is very little use. I classified all this country in Mr. Mitchell's time. There is some good swamp country along the coast to the extreme south. I do not consider that he Augusta country is any good. I do not think there are 1,000 acres of good land in the whole lot. There will be a little good land found south of Busselton. Out towards Dandarragan there is some good country that could be served by a light railway perhaps. For your information I will have copies of these plans prepared and sent to you.

(The witness retired.)

ROBERT EDGAR WEIR, M.R.C.V.S., Chief Inspector of Stock, Department of Agriculture, sworn and examined:

12038. By the CHAIRMAN: In portions of the South-West, settlers' stock is found in many places to be affected with the disease known as "Rickets." We have asked you to attend in order that you might tell us whether any remedy has been discovered for this trouble, and what investigation is proceeding?—There are two forms of rockets. One is due to animals partaking of the zamia palm, and another is due to insufficient nutrition or lack of lime salts in the food supply.

12039. Is there any difference in the effect on stock between the two forms?—Yes, the one is practically paralysis of the spinal column affecting the nervous system, and the other an affection of the joints and bones of animals, leading to impaction and other disorders of the system.

12040. By Mr. VENN: Are the bow-legged horses and big kneed animals cause by a form of rickets?—Yes, due to lack of lime salts in the food supply.

12041. By the CHAIRMAN: Has any remedy been discovered for either form?—No. There are preventives. Stock may be fed artificially on land deficient in lime salts, and beneficial results may also be obtained by supplying licks such as a mixture of salt, bone meal, and iron sulphate. In regard to the zamia palm, if taken in time, that is immediately after an animal has partaken of the plant, by the administration of purgatives and afterwards treatment by iodide of potassium, it is possible to effect a moderate recovery. But with the great majority of stock as you are aware, they are running on large areas of country, and under these conditions it is practically impossible to have them treated. In the case of valuable animals, which are always under closer supervision, it is possible by treatment to effect fairly reasonable recovery.

12042. By Mr. VENN: Rickets caused through lack of lime salts is only found on uncultivated land, is it not?—Where land has not been cultivated sufficiently, and where manures such as phosphates have not been applied, these salts to which I have referred are not available. Until the land has been made fertile you cannot expect stock to remain healthy.

12043. It has been a source of considerable loss to dairy herd keepers in the South-West?—Yes. In the past losses have been more or less severe, but with the protectional measures now being taken, such as artificial feeding night and morning, the supplying of licks, etc., the trouble is now being overcome, and the losses are beind reduced to a minimum.

12044. The complaint appears to be only present on the plain country?—In the hill country you have the necessary iron, and also lime to a great extent, and where large areas are deficient in lime salts, cattle are bound to become diseased. This applies particularly to the plains, where land is deficient in lime, and on their removal to more fertile land where the salts are obtainable, they gradually recover and become healthy.

12045. By the CHAIRMAN: If stock are allowed to run on land infested with zamia palm or coastal land, there is really no treatment which can be administered beforehand which will protect them, I understand?—There is none, of course they can be