Mallee - Part 1

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MONDAY 23rd OCTOBER, 1916. (At Norseman.) — — Present: Charles Edward Dempster, Esq. (Chairman). Matthew Thomas Padbury, Esq. Ranald McDonald, Esq. — — RICHARD THOMAS GRIFFITH, aged 58, Miner, Norseman, married, no family, sworn and examined;

225. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you hold any land in the Esperance district?— 615 acres of freehold at Pink Lake, worth about £1 per acre, purchased from the Agricultural Bank two years ago. I have also seven town blocks in Esperance worth about £150 in all. In Norseman I have a house and land valued at £150, I have mining interests valued at approximately £200. I have a 20-acre block at Jandakot. If my Esperance land were at Bacchus March. Victoria, it would be worth £15 an acre. I have had considerable experience in farming in Victoria. I still hold 200 acres of freehold improved farming land at Bacchus Marsh.

226. have you income from any source other than what you have mentioned?— Yes, I have other interests in mining.

227. What improvements have you effected on your agricultural land at Esperance? — Fencing, the provision of permanent water, and a road cleared. It is all fenced with six wires. The land is of a sandy nature. I have done no cultivation. My block is about four miles by road from the town. I intend to go on the land when I have finished with the mine, and take up any further area of mallee or sand plain country to work with it. I propose to cultivate some of the land, and go in for mixed farming.

228. If no railway be built will you still go on the land to reside?— Yes, but there is not much inducement for a man to go there without a railway, for without a railway there can be no profitable market. With a railway a man could make a good living down there.

229. You bought this 615 acres from the Agricultural Bank?— Yes, I cannot say why the previous owner abandoned it. It was mortgaged to the bank. I have not had any assistance from the bank. They wanted me to leave the mortgage on the property, but I could not see the wisdom of that. I have not had experience of mallee here in December, 1912, when I had a look at the wheat growing on one of the farms. I found nine grains of wheat in the head, six of which consisted of good milling wheat. In another head I found 12 grains, 9 of which were good milling wheat.It was a thin crop, and appeared to have been badly cultivated. I have never seen wheat grown so thin as it is here. I have seen wheat grown at Norseman, through which a man could shoot a rabbit at 50 yards. In my opinion, the land here, if cultivated, would grow wheat as well as I have seen in Victoria. The wheat here is sown too lightly, too deep, and it does not stool as it should. Two years ago I saw Simpson's crop down in the mallee. It seemed to me to be worth a ton to the acre. It was half a mile in from the road, along which I was passing. Certainly I think the wheat will mature all right in this mallee land. I am sure that if railway facilities were provided, and the mallee land properly worked, it would return a very satisfactory profit. Given the railway, a lot of people would take that up that land. I have never heard anyone talk of taking up the country here for speculative purposes. I have read Mr. Mann's report. I am not qualified to say whether or not he is right, but I can certainly say that good crops have been grown in the district. There is no salt in the dams.

(The witness retired.) WILLIAM BAIRD, aged 49, Mine Manager, Norseman, part owner of Viking Mine, married, one boy, 14 years of age, sworn and examined:

230. By The CHAIRMAN: Do you hold any land in the Esperance district?— I have some town blocks at Esperance. I have a house and land in Norseman. Also some property in Perth. I have no land in the mallee, but if the railway were built I would take up land down there. I have had experience in farming in the Otago district, New Zealand. I have frequently travelled through the mallee between Norseman and Esperance, and have seen some very fair crops there. I have seen crops in other districts of Western Australia, as for instance along the Eastern and Great Southern Railway lines, but I have not closely inspected those crops. I have been 20 years in Norseman. I have seen fair crops grown close in to Norseman, at Crossing's, at Johns', and at McKenzie's. I would call a ton a fair crop. I have done no farming in this State. I have been in all States, but have not farmed in any of them. When a lad I had a good deal to do stock. The land between Norseman and Esperance could be worked profitably, given marketing facilities. It is good wheat land.

231. By Mr. PADBURY: Is the land not worked sufficiently at present?— No.

232. Do you know when Grass patch was first opened up?— About 1897. I remember when Mr. Thomson first went there; he grew good crops. I think his chaff was brought up here. I would prefer mallee as against sand plain for wheat growing. I made my home in Perth because Esperance is too isolated. (The witness retired.)