was succeeded by Gollan. They have always had good crops there. At one time they were getting £16 or £17 per ton for their hay, and had only to cart it to Swan Lagoon. There was always a big staff of men there in addition to the manager, and the place was sold presumably because it did not pay.

328. By Mr. PADBURY: How far are you from the railway survey?—About two miles. Given a railway I will continue farming, but without a railway I do not think any of us will be able to stay here. I will have to go even at the cost of giving up the hotel. I have been holding on in the expectation of a railway and I have grown old in the process. Things look worse now than ever before. (The witness retired.)

CHARLES DUKE, aged 34, Farmer, Scaddan, married, one boy and one girl, ages 9 and 7—sworn and examined:

329. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you hold any land of your own in this district?—No; I am share farming on equal terms with Brown and Simpson. I find horses and Brown finds machinery. I have been here two years. I came from Newcarnie, 14 miles from Merredin. I was share farming there for a year. I had no luck. I put in 500 acres of fallow there. The crop was a failure. That was in 1914. I came straight here from there, bringing eleven horses, two drays, and a sulky. I would rather be here than at Merredin, because I think this is good wheat country, and I am going in for pigs, for which the district is eminently suited. Last year I had in 100 acres at Simpson's block. The yield was about three bushels and a quarter of a ton to the acre. It was merely put in with a cultivator about May. I used 60 lbs. of super and 60 lbs. of seed. This year I have in 200 acres all told. It looks fair. Save for 25 acres of fallow it is all ploughed. I expect to get 9 or 10 bushels and three-quarters of a ton of hay. I have had a good deal of experience of farming in Victoria along the Goulburn Valley. I think this is good farming country here. The ground requires working to get out the stumps. I have 100 acres in fallow this year for next year. It is about four inches deep. I have had experience with sheep, but not here. I have seen good crops in the district this season up at Grass Patch. Super is the only expense down here. The cost of living is fairly high, as it is everywhere else. In point of machinery I have practically everything I want bar stripper, I have ploughs drills, binders. I would prefer a strpper to a harvester here , on account of the mallee roots. I have not had much experience in working harvesters.

330.By Mr . PADBURY: Did you lose much wheat in that crop at Simpson's?—Yes, on account of a bad old stripper. I lost perhaps 2 bushels per acre. The crop now standing is self-sown. The land had been ploughed before I put the other crop in.In our agreement I find horses, Brown finds machinery. and Simpson pays me £1 per week. All profit are equally divided. The division is made on the farm. I have done all right this year. when I came to experance I had 3s. in my pocket. Now I have about 35 pigs and 200 acres in crop. I have no cows, but I am going to get one. There is plenty of poultry on the farm. about 100 fowls.

331.By Mr .McDONALD: Do you consider Simpson's a good block of land?—Yes. I think the land round the dam is good. It was cleared before I came here. I think I have a better chance of success here than at Merredin . I was in the Merredin district for about three years wood-carting and sinking.

332.By Mr . PADBURY Who find seed and super, on your share farming?—Brown and Simpson. They also find bags and twine. I find the labour and the horses.

(the witness retired) GEORGE ROGERS,aged 47, Farmer. at 30-Mile. married, one daughter, 11 years. sworn and examined:

333. By the CHAIRMAN: What land do you hold in the district— Not any. My wife hold the block I am working, loc 418. consisting of 1,000 acres of Conditional Purchase, I hold 400 acres of Conditional Purchase at Salmon Gums, I have a wayside license at Salmon Gums,and also a pastoral lease of 5,000 acres partially resumed. I have been resident in this district six years. Previously I was at Salmon Gums for six years. At Salmon Gums I have cleared 130 acres on Conditional Purchase, and sunk two dams of 1,300 yards and 100 yards respectively. I constructed those nine years ago. Neither of the dams has been empty since first filled. The most stock I had was 35 head of cattle and six horses. That lot watered there all the year round. I did some cropping at Salmon gums, and got as high as 12cwt . In 1905 I nearly had a failure. I got only 5cwt. In 1906 the crop was light again. In 1907 I stripped it, and got only three bushels. In 1908 I did not touch it but got 12cwt. per acre for about 100 acres. I never had any fallow land at Salmon Gums. During the two last years I used 30lbs of super. I did no more cultivation at Salmon gums. While there I sowed 45lbs. of seed with a drill. I saw some fair crops at Lewis's at Circle Vallay, and I have seen also some poor crops there. Lewis's usual return was about 15cwt. Mostly he did not use super. I have never known him have a failure at Circle Valley. I do not keep any records of rainfall at Salmon Gums. Gilmore look after all the rain gauges on the road. I came here in 1910. I have always had about half a ton to the acre here. In 1910 I cropped 30 acres, The first crop was merely disc-harrowed in. In estimate that it cut 14cwt. In 1911 -12 I got half a ton per acre from 70 acres; none of it was fallow. It was worked with a heavy cultivator. I used Alpha and Turvey's Purple Straw. I used 45lbs seed and 50lbs of super. The crop was rather thin and about 2 feet 6 inches in height. It was grown on the same land and some new land.I cut about half a ton to the acre. In 1912-13 I had the same seed again. It was headed and I got about the same results, but I had 100 acres in. I sowed two acres of oats at a bushel and a half. It was too thick. I used the same land and some new land. The result was half a ton. I did not strip any. In 1913-14 I had 100 acres of the same wheat and 30 acres of oats on the old ground. I cut it all for hay and got half a ton. The same quantities of seed and super