WEDNESDAY, 18TH OCTOBER, 1916. (At Kalgoorlie Present: Charles Edward Dempster, Esq. (Chairman), Matthew Thomas Padbury, Esq., Ranald McDonald, Esq. JOHN STEVENSON, Hotelkeeper, Kalgoorlie, aged 54, unmarried, sworn and examined : 97. By the CHAIRMAN : Do you own or occupy any land in the Esperance district ?—I have 1,000 acres Conditional Purchase adjoining North Patch, and 12 acres of Freehold Garden Area at Esperance. I was brought up on a farm in Scotland and I have had some experience in Queensland. On my holding at North Patch I have 260 acres cleared. The camp is not very much. I have a stable and shed 50ft. x 20ft., a small dam holding about 1,000 gallons, and some iron tanks holding 1,600 gallons, together with a mile and a half of fencing. I have held the land since May, 1910. I work it by deputy in the person of my brother. At present he has only one boy with him. I have cropped the land with wheat for three years. A 20-acre horse paddock I have cropped for three years in succession. 98. By Mr. PADBURY : What was the yield ?—On 1913.-14 I cropped 21½ acres for an average of 10½ bushels ; 1914-15 I cropped 80 acres for an average of 5½ bushels. In 1915-16 I had in 120 acres, of which 60 acres gave an average of nine bushels, 40 acres gave an averaged of 4½ bushels, and 20 acres of wheaten hay averaged 15 cwt. 99. By the CHAIRMAN : How much seed and super do you use ?—About a bushel of wheat to the acre, and 60lbs. of super. I paid £6 a ton cartage from Esperance to Grass Patch. The cost is about the same through Norseman. The price of super was £6 7s. 6d. in Esperance. 100. Was the land all ploughed ?—In the first year the first twenty acres were only scarified ; next year 60 acres were fallowed and disced and 40 acres disced and sown straight away. 101. Would more thorough cultivation produce better crops ?—Certainly. The difference is shown in my own yields. 102. Do you think a bushel of seed to the acre sufficient ?—I think our seed last year was not too good. It was our own seed from previous year and was weeviled. If the seed were good and strong I think one bushel is sufficient. The seed we used was not graded. 103. Would it pay to sow a bushel and a quarter and 100lbs. of super to the acre ?—I am satisfied that the more super the heavier the crop. 104. What is your opinion of the district for wheat growing ?—The trouble is that the rain does not always fall at the right season. The worst feature about the crops down there is that the ground is not properly cultivated. 105. Have you kept any stock ?—I have two cows and a calf. My brother has four horses and I find the implements. The cows get the greater part of their living in the fields. The grass has been very backward this year. The rains were very late in coming and the weather was cold. I believe all land should be fallowed and cultivated and worked on the system of dry farming. 106. What, in your opinion, is the best way to assist the farmers in this district for the development of wheat growing ?—To furnish a market for their produce and facilities for getting it there. With a railway the district can be made payable. We are rearing young pigs down there and propose to feed them off with the wheat if we cannot get it to the market. The owner of a motor lorry offered to shift our wheat to Norseman or to Esperance at 2s. a bushel. 107. Are you satisfied with the prospects of a return for your outlay ?—No. I have no opportunity of marketing my produce. 108. Have you had any assistance from the Agricultural Department ?—Some £157 in all. I have had nothing from the Industries Assistance Board. 109. Do you consider this form of assistance satisfactory ?—It has not been so down there. 110. By Mr. PADBURY : When you took up the land were you under the impression that there would be a railway ?—Yes, it was promised that the railway would be there for the 1915-16 crop. I will have 100 bags of the wheat on hand. 111. By the CHAIRMAN : Have you seen the crops there this year ?—No. I have some fruit trees doing well down there. 112. By Mr. McDONALD : Do you think the land will improve with cultivation ?—I am sure of it. 113. By Mr. PADBURY : Have you noticed any improvement on the lands which you first cleared ?—Yes, distinctly. 114. By the CHAIRMAN : How far is your holding from the nearest siding on the railway survey ?—I am about three miles from the surveyed line. I do not know where the sidings will be. I am about 50 miles from Esperance and 78 miles from Norseman. 115. What would you estimate a fair load on the roads in summer for a team of six horses and a wagon ?—About three tons. For the first two years I had most of my super carted by contract. It takes a week to do the trip. I do not think it practicable to grow crops without super. 116. By Mr. PADBURY : Have you tried sinking for water ?—No, but the water in my tank is perfectly fresh. It is good, soft water. I have no claypan country. The rabbits at North Patch are not very numerous. The dingoes are bad ; I have not had any sheep. One could not possibly keep