this district is concerned. We have summer rains here. Last year we had a fall of seven inches in January; in 20 minutes it filled up a hole with three million gallons of water which lasted me 19 months. At that time I had finished 80 acres of fallow and the effect of the summer rains is that unless you can go over the fallow afterwards, you might as well leave it alone, and it sets very hard.

6426. But surely you would not condemn the fallowing system on those grounds?—I am quite satisfied that fallowing is not the panacea for all ills. I have had to cultivate it several times to get any benefit from it. My best average crop has been 18 bushels to 20 during the whole period that I have been here, and I should like to hand you my written experiences in this district. When I came here in 1910 I cleared and put in 30 acres. The seasons was a complete failure through out the district. I got exemption for nine months and returned to Perth and took up again my business. In 1911-12 I did not put a crop in. In 1912-13 I sowed 150 acres. Eight and a half inches of rain fell during the growing period. I cut 25 acres off 20 tons for hay. I sold 700 bags of wheat at 3s. 2d. delivered at Wongan Hills. I had to pay a construction freight to Wongan which was in excess of the freight from Wongan to Fremantle. My bags of wheat that year brought me in 7s. 4d. a bag without counting my own carting. In 1913-14 I seeded 400 acres; rather more than half of that was fallow. It was a complete failure. That broke me up. I put it in so well and with the clearing I had four men and nine horses at work for two and a half months. In 1914-15 I seeded 360 acres under the I.A.B. I cut 30 acres over 30 tons of hay and the best of the balance went from 15 to 16 bushels. It did not average more than nine bushels. One hundred acres of Federation was settled by the rust. Then came a hailstorm that blew down the balance. I have that cut and stacked now. That year I seeded six acres of oats and got 90 bags as a result. This year I have sown 300 acres altogether and have just finished cutting 20 for about 10 tons of hay. I am hoping to get 15 bushels. Up to this season I have always sown 40lbs. of wheat and 52lbs. of super to the acre but this season I sowed 60lbs of wheat and a bag of super to three acres. My experience is that the wheat did not germinate at all. In the other instance it was a thin crop. Early wheats are the only varieties that do any good up here. I have not tried Gluyas, although I endeavoured to get some last year. The wheats I have sown are Federation (which is always used here), Bunyip, and Yandilla King. It would take about nine bushels of wheat at 3s. 4d. a bushel to pay for the expense of putting in and taking off. For the first three years we had to get everything from Coorow, which is 30 miles away, and so it costs an enormous amount to put crops in, and it used to take weeks to cart water. Now so far as water is concerned we are very well situated. Bulk handling would reduce costs. Particularly as the losses on bags are so very heavy. Lsat year with my boy I stripped 400 acres. We got a downpour of rain. We had to move the bags seven times and lost 50 per cent. through the white ants. I should say the best way in regard to bulk handling would be to bag the wheat and tip it at the siding.

6427. How does the tariff affect the farmers' implements?—The farming machinery is altogether too dear but a reaper and binder is a cheap machine, but it is ridiculous to pay £49 for a drill.

6427a. A binder is the only machine there is I think that comes in free of duty?—Yes, and I understand the reason for that is that it cannot be made in Australia in competition with the imported article, and the patent rights have practically expired. I pickle all my wheat but I have only graded this year. I have not tried to grow fodder crops or artificial grasses. The only grass that grows here is the Canary grass. I have tried half a dozen different clovers but none of them have survived. I think lucerne would survive. I have tried King Island Melilot, but it does not thrive at all. Vegetables, however, grow to perfection in winter. Two years ago I planted 14 fruit trees and gave them a good start. The only one that remains is an apricot. The climate was against them. Nectarines also survive but my fig trees died away. The mulberry tree I think would do well. At one time I was an orchardist. I keep pigs and they do well, and poultry for our own use. So far as labour is concerned, I have never had a decent man under 30s. a week and keep, but I have never had any really satisfactory labour for the reason that the better type of agricultural worker does not come out as far back as here. They are snapped up in the older districts, and we have to put up with what others will not. Our working hours run from about 10 to 12 a day. I took up a thousand acres at first and went to the Agricultural Bank. I was advised that 1,500 acres should be the minimum here and therefore I applied for more land. At the same time I did so the railway was not an assured thing. My experience is that a man requires 900 acres cleared, and other land for stock. This he must have. A man on his own should do 300 acres a year. If co-operation amongst farmers could be brought about, it would be an excellent thing but I have never yet seen it effective. I have had experience in all the States and have never yet struck a community of farmers that could work in unison. Even amongst three or four of us we could not make a job out of it.

6427b. Do you consider the present land laws reasonable, returns and so on?—I do not think the price of land has anything to do with the position, if it is not worth what we are giving for it, it is not worth anything at all. Up to the present and for five years past not one of us has made a profit. The fact is nobody knew what the conditions here were. Out of the five crops that I put in three have been complete failures. Of course, with larger plant working costs would be much reduced. Personally, I would favour a scheme under which all one's liabilities were funded and repayment extended over a period of years. Hon. James Mitchell like myself is a great believer in fallow and I have undertaken to fallow 300 acres next year. With the liabilities I have and the struggle to put in another 250 acres I shall have about reached my limit unless the Government will assist by procuring labour. There is not much inducement to tackle farming unless our liabilities are going to be considered and unless we have a guarantee that if we do our best and the results are reasonable we shall be kept going. Supposing I fallow these 300 acres it will be like working off a dead horse unless I am going to stay down here for a year afterwards. I would like some sort of promise of some such support. Supposing my liabilities are £900 apart from realisable assets. If I had no better luck than I have had any for the last two years it will take me 10 years to pay that off. Then, again, I want to go in for stock but have