FRIDAY, 27th OCTOBER, 1916.

(At Scaddan.)

Present:

Charles Edward Dempster, Esq. (Chairman), Matthew Thomas Padbury, Esq., | Ranald McDonald, Esq.

THOMAS LAMB JACKSON, aged 58, farmer, West Scaddan, married, two boys, one girl, ages 12 to 17,—sworn and examined:

305. By the CHAIRMAN: What land do you hold in this district?—I have 1,000 acres C.P., including a homestead, loc. 530. I have had no previous experience of farming, at all events not since I was a boy. I was living on the goldfields from 1892 until I came here. I have 180 acres cleared. I have no dam but there are two good rock holes, and I have galvanised tanks with a storage of 10,000 gallons. Six hundred gallons is all I have carted since I have been here. I have a house of iron and hessian and about one mile of fencing. I have been four years on my block. The present will be my fourth crop. The first crop of 28 acres cut about 20 tons of hay. I used 56lbs. of super. It was a very dry August and September, and when the rain came I could not get the binder. It was March before I stripped it. I got only two bushels, but I estimate the true yield at six bushels. The grain was germinating in the heads. For hay I cut only some oats, of which I had 10 acres. My crop was nearly all wasted through my having no stripper. Last year's crop was 110 acres. I got 24 tons of hay, but I do not know what area that represents. The rest, perhaps 30 acres, stripped 40 bags of wheat. Then there were 10 bags of oats. This year I have in 125 acres and 20 acres of rye for my horses and cow. Horses do well on rye. Some of the crop is looking well. Some 27 acres of oats is looking very well. It is the best crop I have grown. The wheat is too young to be estimated. I have the best vegetable and fruit garden in the district. All my clearing has been done with the axe, save for 20 acres rolled. Good grass grows on the cleared land. I have 30 acres of fallow. I plough from three to five inches deep. I have seven pigs and nine horses, including two unbroken. I have had assistance from the Agricultural Department and from the Industries Assistance Board. I have had no work done by contract. I had two wages men on for five months. The rest I have done myself. I have a 5½ h.p. engine, a three-knife chaff cutter, a binder, a seed drill, a three-furrow stump jump plough, harrows, a garden plough, tip dray, a heavy spring dray, and a sulky. I am not disappointed with the yields, because I had not sufficient strength to work the ground properly. With a stronger team and better plough, I could have worked this land better and the yield would have been heavier. When we get ground enough opened up to allow for fallow, we will have a very different tale to tell. My land is undulating. I am thoroughly satisfied with it. We occasionally lose a fowl or a pig to the dingoes. I have been too busy clearing to make a dam. I have not seen any other farming districts in this State.

306. By Mr. PADBURY: Is your land similar to that surrounding it?—Yes, it is thick mallee land, I have not tried fallowing, nor have I varied my quantities of seed and super. The cost of super. precludes one from using as much as he would like. During the wet months some water might lie on the land but only in the depressions. I prefer mould board plough for dealing with the stumps. The Dalyup River flats, running thorugh my block, are all salt, but the rest of the land is free from salt. I have had no wheat over; indeed I have brought wheat for fowls and pigs this year. I paid 3s. a bushel to a neighbour. I keep both fowls and duck. The nearest school is at Esperance.

307. By Mr. McDONALD: Were any samples of soil taken from your land for analysis?—Not that I know of.

308. Is it possible to make a living on your land without a railway?—It is not a business proposition. When I took up the land we were told we would get the railway. Nobody made me a definite promise.

(The witness retired.)

DAVID WILLIAM TAYLOR, aged 39, Farmer, West Scaddan, married—one boy, 7 years—sworn and examined:

309. By the CHAIRMAN: What land do you hold?—I have 1,000 acres of C.P., location 501, including a homestead. I took it up in 1910. I have been living on it for five years. The present will be my fifth crop. I have 120 acres cleared. There is no dam but I get water from Mr. Bell's dam on the adjoining holding. I have a big shed. I live in my own house, but it is on Bell's block. I value the shed at £10 and the clearing at £120. I have had no previous experienced either of farming or of stock. The best result I have had is five bushels of good wheat and half a ton of hay. I have in a little over 10 acres at present. The crop is looking fair seeing it was sown late. I think it will go 10 bushels.

310. Can you farm successfully in this district?—Yes, given a railway. Freights at present are prohibitive. I have paid £2 5s. freight on super. from Fremantle to Esperance after which it cost £4 per ton to cart it here. On this land it is the area that