12319. By Mr VENN: How many feet above sea level?—At the lower end about six feet; one foot above the high water mark.

12320. By Mr PAYNTER: Was your estimated cost of the scheme reduced and that caused the trouble?—there was a proposal put up for the construction of a flood gate on the lower portion of the scheme, but it was never carried out.

12321. Do you consider flood gates necessary?—No, I do not think they should be encouraged to look on the land as if it can be completely drained. It never can. It is first class pasture land.

12322. By the CHAIRMAN: The settlers told us the land was sold to them when covered with water as swamp land, and now when the water was taken off portion of the area was only sand and not swamp land at all?—I think that is quite possible. The transaction was, of course, in perfect bona fides, but it was found in places that the bottom is not as good as was expected.

12323. Has any comprehensive drainage scheme ever been designed by the State to deal with the country between here and Bunbury on broad national lines?—A good deal of work has been done in connection with the land west of Harvey. Schemes are now fairly well forward, and a good deal of work has been done, approximating, I suppose, to the extent of £100,000 in that area which you speak of, in the way of snagging of rivers and construction of drains. It was started many years ago by the Lands Department and then taken on by the Works Department. There is the possibility of draining the country west of Harvey into Lake Preston. That would give a great deal of relief, but it is rather questionable whether the result would justify the expenditure.

12324. Where are you going to take the water from Lake Preston?—Lake Preston is very close to the sea. It is claimed by some that there is direct connection, but I doubt if there is open connection. There certainly is a soakage connection. Water put into Lake Preston I think would quickly run through. Geographically it lies exactly in the right was for soakage. It runs for miles parallel to the sea. A strip of land between the land and the sea is not case more than a mile wide, so I think the water could get out of it. The land round the lake is not very valuable. A rise of a foot or so would do no harm. To get the water there would mean very great expense to cut through the sand hills. it is possible it may be taken in, but it wold have to be done pretty slowly ( a section at a time) just now.

12325. do you think the country would warrant a survey between here and Bunbury to determine where main drainage channels shall be put in, so that settlers who are now trying to do individually something in the way of drainage could look forward to the time when their drains would be connected with big drains constructed by the State?—A good deal of that work has been done. There are a good many drains now. We have what is supposed to be a drainage board at West Coolup. There a considerable amount of money has been spent in putting in the main drains and we have never been able to get the people to take up responsibility of maintenance. That was national money, too.

12326. Could you describe to us the Busselton scheme?—The difficulties at Busselton occurred owing to the fact that the flow of several rivers, the Lennox, the Vasse, and one or two small ones had gradually become obstructed and diverted. Before any work was carried out, the whole of the water had collected at Lockville and passed out through an opening in the sandhills. From there to the Lennox River, the river most westerly in the system, is 16 or 17 miles, and all that water had to come along the coast to get out there. The first work was done many years ago, by Colonel Molloy, who made a cut through the sandhills approximately opposite the mouth of the Lennox. This cut opened to a river. The Lennox water since then has gone out there. This, of course, caused very little improvements easterly. The first the Government did was to erect two flood gates at Wonnerup. These were erected with the idea that they would save maintenance with the opening of a bar, and prevent the influx of salt water on a good deal of low-lying land, which is now gradually coming back into pasture. That was all national work. The question of the better drainage of the Lennox and Busselton country came up. A scheme was put in hand for the expenditure of several thousands of pounds, most of which was nationalised, for the putting in of flood gates at Molloy's ditch and the construction of drains to let the water run parallel to the coast and get it more quickly away to Wonnerup. It was found afterwards advisable to construct a gate opposite the mouth of the Vasse River, near to Busselton. That was put in recently with a flood gate to prevent the sea water coming in. That is a general description of the scheme. the Lennox end coming up as far as Busselton was formed into a board at the time the drains were made, but the board had difficulty in collecting its rates, and ultimately lose a case in which the judgement given was that the board was not legally formed. The questions of maintenance have been allowed to go. The more urgent things have been attended to by the Government as national. The Government provided a small subsidy for the care of the gates at Wonnerup. A movement is now on foot to form two or three boards, i.e., to re-form the Lennox board, and form one or two other boards to control maintenance and improvements in drainage. A great deal if the difficulties which have occurred in connection with drainage is due to the insufficiency of the Drainage Act. A more comprehensive Bill is now on the stocks, and I understand it is likely to be brought in next year.

12327. BY Mr VENN: Most of the members of the board are the ratepayers themselves?—Yes.

(the witness retired.)

DAVID ERNEST WILLIAMS, Medical Practitioner, the Terrace, Fremantle, sworn and examined:

12328. BY the CHAIRMAN: I understand you own an orchard at Harvey?—Yes. it consists of 70 acres altogether, 30 of which are in oranges.