452. Would you say the last four seasons have been favourably?— No. There has generally been something wrong. Last year was wet and rust made its appearance, and a kind of blight set in. Generally speaking, during the last three or four years the land that has been fallowed has been success. The light yields, in my opinion, have not been on account of poor land, but have been due to some other cause.

453. If it was suggested that the unsatisfactory yields were on account of the amount of salt in the soil, what would you say?— I think that would not trouble them. There is not enough to hurt.

454. have you seen the crops in any other part of the State?— Yes, and I have taken particular notice of them. I have been through Northam and Cunderdin, in which latter district I have a brother. I have also been through the Toodyay district, and I consider the land at Esperance compares favourably with those districts. I think if the land is properly worked and sufficient manure used, it is as good as the majority of the farming districts of the State. I do not think that the Esperance lands have had a reasonable chance of showing what they are capable of.

455. Do you remember the mallee country in South Australia?— Yes. I was right in the Tickia district, near Kadina. I have been there several times since on holiday. I think there is a good, if not better, mallee land here as in South Australia. There is certainly a lot better here than where I was reared, but I think there is a certain kind of manure wanted here to produce satisfactory results. I cannot say what sort is wanted.

456. By Mr. PADBURY: I presume you have noticed stock running during your trips through the mallee district?— Yes, and horses, cattle, etc., are in the best condition.

457. Are there many fresh water lakes throughout the mallee?— Yes, a lot, as well as salt. They remain fresh all the season, and the dams, generally speaking, hold well.

(The witness retired.)

The Commission adjourned.

TUESDAY, 21st NOVEMBER, 1916.

(At Esperance.)

Present:

Charles Edward Dempster, Esq. (Chairman).

ANDREW DUNN, farmer and grazier, Boyatup, 25 miles East of Esperance, married, 13 children, nine boys, four girls, aged 5 to 32 years, sworn and examined:

458. To the CHAIRMAN: I have 500 acres of conditional purchase at Boyatup. In two more years it will be freehold. I hold 20,000 acres under pastoral lease. One thousand acres of conditional purchase is held in the name of my son, W. H. Dunn. The improvements at Boyatup are valued at £500, which include 100 acres of clearing, buildings, etc. There is permanent water in swamps and tanks. I have been living at Boyatup for 17 years, and have grown a crop of hay every year. I would say the average per acre was 15 cwt., and I have used super. only during the last five years. Vines and fruit trees grow very well and require very little cultivation. I have grown onions potatoes with good results, having sold an average of 15 bags of onions every year for 17 years. In 1915 I grew five tons of onions on about half an acre. Onions never failed in any one year. I consider the land in my locality is suitable for growing onions. Cattle do well here if they get a change to the coast. I keep 50 head of mixed cattle. Sheep also do well. I keep 200 sheep, mostly for my own use and the bit of wool. I could easily keep 1,000 sheep if they could be shepherded. I have not been troubled with dingoes during the last 12 months, although there are a few about. I was employed for nine years by Mr. Campbell Taylor, at Thomas River, 56 miles East of Boyatup, eight miles East of Esperance. My duty was to look after the sheep and cattle. During the time I was at Thomas a good crop of hay was grown every year, and I believe a good crop has been grown every year since. Good crops of hay have been grown every year for 26 years at the Thomas. There are about 90 acres cleared there now. Mr. Turnball lives there now. There were about 30 acres cleared when I was there 17 or 18 years ago. Sheep do well there. Along the coast from Esperance, going Eastward, there are numerous patches of good land suitable for cultivation, for instance, at Cape le Grand, Lucky Bay, Mississipi Bay, Victoria Harbour, Duke of Orleans Bay, and the Alexander River. Both the coast and inland are good stock country, from Esperance to Israelite Bay. (The witness retired.)