put down, cased , and provided with windmills, pumps, iron storage tanks of 4,000 gallons capacity, troughs, and standpipes at distances which brings each settler the within four miles at the outside. Channels, either from the Wimmera system or from pumping station on the Murray, are gradually extended to all the remaining settled areas. The changes are on the valuation of the blocks and for the bore area, vary from 8s. to 20s. per annum, and in the channel areas, when water is supplied direct into the farmer's storage, from £6 to £10. A settler is supposed to have at least 2,000 cubic yards. or 340,000 gallons of storage on his land and power exists whereby the Water Commission can compel such provision.

Do you know the country from Manangatang to Euston?—Yes.

Will you describe that country and its suitableness for settlement?—With very small exceptions, the whole of the country commanded by a line following the new road constructed by the Water Commission is suitable for successful wheat growing. In fact, there is probably better land on the whole along that route than on any recent extension.

On our plan there is a suggested deviation to carry the railway to Meilman, some miles eastward of Euston. Would that deviation pass through better or inferior country to the route traversed by the line running into Euston township?—As far as this State is concerned the deviation to cross the river at Meilman would pass through very much inferior country.

Are there any areas along the Murray River above or below Euston suitable for irrigation colonies. and if so where are they situated . and what is the acreage available for such a settlement or settlements?—Speaking for Victoria only, the whole of the Bumbang peninsula which would be bisected by the Manangatang-Euston extension is highly suitable for irrigation. The area is about 60,000 acres. It is however, not likely, in my opinion. that water will be available to irrigate such an area or any considerable portion of it.

Is that if the Murray River Waters scheme is carried out?—That is so.

Having regard to the probability of fresh irrigation settlement being established along the Murray in the Euston district, what route would you suggest for the extension from Manangatang to enable the irrigators to get their produce to market?—It is extremely unlikely that irrigation settlements, if any would be made anywhere else than on Bumbang for a great distance both up and down stream, and consequently the Manangatang-Euston route is the only one suitable. If the irrigation scheme were limited to a small portion of the peninsula the lift would be about 60 feet, which is comparatively low, but taking in the lot it would a lift of about 90 feet.

Do you know the country for 30 or 40 miles north of Euston?—I have been over enough of it to say that the soil is good and that good roads can be laid down.

From your knowledge of that country as far as you know it and your experience of framing in the northern mallee and in the dry areas of South Australia, do you consider the country north of Euston suitable for agricultural settlement?—I think the rainfall is sufficient with good farming methods to justify its subdivision, but it should only be allotted to farmers with experience of similar country and who have some capital—not less than £500.

What area should a settler have in that country to carry on successfully?—The minimum area should be about the same as in Victoria, say 700 acres. The idea that success can be obtained by giving large areas of land is fallacious and has failed in practice. Many a settler has been ruined by attempting too big an area to start with, though he could have succeeded on a smaller block. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the settler who is successful on the small block in the early stages has. up to the present, been able to acquire land as he required it. The man who successfully handled a large area, say a 3,000-acre farm, involving some 1,000 acres of crop and 2,000 acres of cultivation annually, and involving the use of quite £10,000 in capital, has started in a small way and worked up, or else he was possessed of several thousands of pounds, and is not in that case likely to apply for virgin mallee land.

Within what distance of a railway station should the most distant settler be ? ---- Ten to 15 miles, depending upon the suitability of the country for roads. In the country across the Murray, with 11, inches or thereabouts of annual rainfall, the soil is good and roads consequently likewise. In that case, the area commended may taken as 12 miles on each side of the line, As far as practicable, roads should be laid out leading to all stations and sidings in a direct line.

Why have you fixed on that limit?—Is it because the roads are sandy or swampy or is it because the settler must, during January and February, have some time in which to work his fallow land for the coming crops?—The limit has been fixed by experience and observation. Carting is and will be more largely done by contractors, and the cost not the time, is the factor; Is a bag is about the limit. Carting and return should be possible within the day.

Must that land be worked on the thirds system—that is to say, one-third in fallow, one-third of the holding in crop, and one-third in grass?—The three -years system, first in vogue in South Australia, is the idea dry-farming system. It of course, calls for thorough working of the fallow and requires the presence of sheep fallow, the stubble and the grass, as well as most important of all, on the crop in the winter months wherever the growth is rank.

Is that the system fallow in the northern mallee, and has it been found to be absolutely necessary there to ensure a crop?—crops can be obtained for a time, a short while only, with continuous cropping, and for a more lengthy period on a two-years fallow system, but the three-years system is gaining ground throughout the Victorian mallee and has always resulted in increased production and wealthy farmers. No other system can be contemplated as a permanent one in considering prospects of success in settlements.

From your experience of settlement in the mallee is it necessary that that country should have a domestic and stock supply of water and railway facilities simultaneously with the settlement of the land?—To open up new land successfully so as to cause a minimum amount of hardship to the pioneer and an early and large amount of production, the construction of a railway should actually precede settlement, though not subdivision, which may be contemporaneous. A complete stock and domestic water supply, based as it must be on a scale to meet the extremely dry years is not an immediate necessity. It may wait as long as three or four years, bot a fairly reliable and ample temporary or preliminary supply must be provided at the outset such a supply can be given for a capital outlay of about Is per acre, but a complete supply will run into several shillings varying with the local difficulties.

If that country is settled in allotments of 4,000 0r 5,000 acres each, do you think there would be sufficient freightage forthcoming from the land to make the railway paying one?— Emphatically no Blocks should be of the area already mentioned, a minimum of 700 acres and not more than 1,000. Even then, one man, even with a useful family, would require outside assistance. Smaller areas are not advisable as the full profit of dry farming is only possible with complete horse teams, proper implements , and a sufficient area to keep them fully employed during the year.

Have you any further statement to make?—I would like to emphasise the necessity of restriction of the area of the blocks, of careful selection of the applications, and of well-considered Government assistance by private road and water works, and judicious advances on private works.

In calculating the area of land a settler should have for dry farming in that country, have you taken into consideration the importance of fallowing?—Fallowing is not justifiable in the first six years of occupation. While the mallee shoots are growing and the roots are alive the area should be cropped annually in order to eradicate the plants. After that, the period of three years rotational cropping comes into play.

With that three-years system you think 700 acres is quite sufficient?—Yes: it does not depend on the man though so much as on the horses. It is no use trying to work a small farm with a large team of horses and keeping them idle, nor can you work a small farm with too small a team of horses at a profit.

Mr. Travers; Can you say how the land on the other side of the Murray compares with the land on the Victorian side generally?—The land east of the Darling