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Mallee - Part 2
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and on those two hinge railway construction, harbour works and so on. All these subjects and more are dealt with in the report which I handed to the Minister for Mines. 1046. will you please explain the following paragraph in your report: — you stated "about 200 samples of soil taken from the surface from 6ins. to 18ins., and from 18ins. to 36ins. deep were examined for salt by the Government Analyst, Mr. Mann." Do you mean the top 6in. of soil was put on one side?— No, some of the holes were only 18in." 1047. By the CHAIRMAN: Can you supply the commission with all particulars in regard to the samples submitted for analyses? —All I can supply is what is on the sheets. There are fairly full notes on the tables. 1049. We have seen those notes with regard to the majority of the samples?— You have all that we have. The samples were taken from certain places, and the places are marked on the map, and the tabulated statement shows what the soil was, and it gives the quantity of salt in each column. 1050. By Mr. McDONALD: The number of samples we have, but very few can we locate on the map. But we have only one of Mr. Middleton's plans?— A great many are marked on the map; I do not say the 200 are. 1051. By the CHAIRMAN: In your previous evidence you said that all the sample bags were numbered, and a record kept showing where each particular bag came from, with particulars of the locality?— It is four years ago now; there are two or three sheets missing to start with. From memory I cannot remember. The surveyor took them, and he kept his field book and took them down. 1052. The full data cannot be procured?— If Mr. Middleton were here he could make the whole thing clear. 1053. You undertook to prepare a statement for the Commission. Will you read it?— It is as follows: — Mr. Paterson stated he believed some of the tanks are salt. The statement is quite absurd. The tanks contain fresh water. Mr. Paterson cannot produce a particle of evidence to support his alleged belief. Rainfall records, according to Mr. Paterson, are not reliable. He thinks they were kept by interested people. I believe the records are as reliable as any records sent in from other parts of the state. The rainfall graphs which were attached to my report have disappeared with other important information— in all about six sheets of maps and drawings. It is to be hoped the Commission will find out who is responsible for the removal of important information from a report which cost time and money to produce. The rainfall graphs show clearly the average rainfall for each month during wheat growing season for many years at various places in the Esperance district, and on the same graphs, dotted or coloured lines show the rainfall for each month at some well-known wheat-growing places in the Eastern States, and along the Eastern railway in this state. This was for comparison at a glance. The rainfall in Esperance district compares very favourably with the precipitation in other districts where payable wheat crops have been grown. A statement has been made to effect that Swan Lagoon has been dry for ten years, and that it has one of the best catchments in the district. No man with any useful knowledge of the subject would make a statement such as the above. Swan Lagoon is a small depression with sandy slopes and a very inferior catchment. No Government money has been expended on Swan Lagoon; salt water exists at a shallow depth in the depression, and a cloud burst must occur before water shows in the so-called lagoon. Mr. Paterson is not sure that rain ever falls between Salmon Gum and Norseman. It does rain sometimes, and there is plenty of evidence to prove how much rain falls. Anyone asking could get the information from two departments or from any my report. However, the greater part of the country between Salmon Gum and Norseman ia not included in the area well within the 12in. to 25in. rainfall. The graphs which were attached to my report show clearly the rainfall in each month, and the map shows each inch of rainfall from 25in. at Esperance to the North boundary of the area classified. On the same map is shown classification of soils, timber, bore sites, holes sunk for soil examination, and sampling, etc., also other information. Mr. Richardson's statement re a cemented hard pan under surface soil is not correct. Also his statement that rain soaks through the surface soils 5in. or 6in. in depth, and then runs along hard pan into the tanks wrong. The subsoil is generally a loamy clay, and five or six inches of surface soil would absorb and hold nearly one inch of rain. As one inch rains are rare, and the Government tanks have been filled many times, it is evident Mr. Richardson's explanation is wrong. The fact is catchment areas for tanks have to be searched for. They are not to be found everywhere. None of the tanks have good catchments. According to my standard they are only second class, but quite good enough with the precipitation in the district for present or future requirements. No hard pan as mentioned by Mr. Richardson is visible in tank excavations, tank drains, or in the many holes sunk by the surveyor over a large area. I did not ask Mr. Mann for a report, so far as I remember. Soil samples were sent along in much the same way as water samples, for examination. All I expected was the results of analysis. However, I am glad his report was written, as it made me more careful than I otherwise might have been. Mr. Mann's report was sent to my office when I was out of state, and before I commenced my report, and before all soil samples had been examined. When I returned to Perth I was informed a paragraph had appeared in the West Australian stating in effect the Esperence lands were no good on account of salt. The Minister for Mines (Mr. Collier) heard of the Press paragraph, and asked for information from my office. Mr. Mann's report, which was addressed to me, was sent to the Minister, and he, I believe, instructed that it be held up till I returned to this state, when I would deal with it in my report. I instructed Surveyor Middleton to get samples of soils from other districts where rainfall is approximately similar to certain parts of the Esperance district. The samples were taken from farms near salt pans, or where salty patches were known to exist, and where wheat had been grown. Those samples were sent along in bags numbered 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 204, 205, 206, and 192, as in Table 1 of my report. The results of examination of this lot show that wheat has been grown in soils ranging from .125 to .884 per cent. of salt. Full details are given in Table 1. It should be understood that the report of the Government Analyst is dated in June, 1912. I obtained samples from other districts, and had them examined during July, so Mr. Mann could not have included all samples examined in his report. In my opinion it would have been better had the Analyst's report to me come later. As it was, the Press got information re salt in Esperance soils, and the general public were led to believe that wheat farming in that country could be madness. I read Mr. Mann's report to mean that .05 per cent. sodium chloride would stop the germination of wheat, or at any rate prevent the seed from growing into a payable crop, but an article recently published in the West Australian by Mr. Mann seems to leave the impression either that the Analyst has modified his views with regard to the quantity of salt which prevents wheat from growing, or the standard he adopted, viz., .05, is given as that quantity which will retard the growth of wheat, but will not actually ruin it. However, the question the Commission and the general public want an answer to is — Will wheat grow in the Esperance district? The answer is that fair crops of wheat are growing in the district under notice at the present time. Referring to the report
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