SATURDAY, 19TH January, 1918. (At. Boyup Brook.)

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Present: Messrs Paynter and Venn.

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JAMES INGLES, Farmer and orchardist, Boyup Brook, sworn and examined:

10789. To Mr. PAYNTER: I have been 33 years in this district. I have 2,500 acres of land, most of which is freehold. It adjoins the railway. It is all fenced and 150 acres is ploughable. I have 18 acres of orchard. I have all the necessary plant and carry 1,300 sheep. This however, is not the full carrying capacity. I think I could carry 1,250 big sheep and their increase. Besides the orchard I go in principally for grazing. The orchard is planted with all varieties of fruit, and I find it a payable proposition. Nevertheless, I am not impressed with the future of fruit growing. I consider that a man in this district should have from 1,500 to 2,000 acres would be sufficient. In regard to the way the districts are named, I consider this is misleading, and causes confusion. I should call from Balingup Brook to the sea the Lower Blackwood, and from Balingup to Winningup I should call the Blackwood. From there up to Dinninup Brook should be called the Central Blackwood, and from there upwards I think should be called the Upper Blackwood.

10790. By Mr. PAYNTER: What do you consider the value of land in this district. I consider the value of improved land in this district £2 10s. per acre.

10791. What variety of sheep do you favour?—I think that the merino does best in the central district.

10792. By Mr. VENN: Is there any poison land available for selection in this locality?—Not that I know of. I should like to say, however, in regard to the occupation of the poison country, I consider, if the Government gave the land away, the country would benefit considerably. Of course this would be under improvement conditions. There is a poison in this district known as Nix's poison, which causes considerable trouble. I have lost 20 sheep this year from it. In appearance it resembles Lucerne in the leaf, and the stems are like those of young peach trees. It is not a new poison, but it does a lot of harm after a burn. The seeds must lie in the ground for 20 years.

10793. What is your opinion of the district for dairying?—I consider that dairying will be a good adjunctive industry, and I recommend settlers to go in for it.

10794. You do not consider the season too short?—No. They could start dairying here in July, and provided we could get milling offal at a more reasonable rate, we could dairy well. I consider that millers could supply offal much cheaper than they do now.

10795. By Mr. PAYNTER: what is the average wool return from a sheep?—The average clip from my lambs this year was 3lbs., and from the big sheep 7 1/2 to 8 lbs. The sheep in this district are improving in quality. It was not long ago that the average clip here was only about 5lbs.

10796. To Mr. VENN: I believe in conserving and improving the natural grasses by top dressing with Thomas's phosphate. I notice in the Eastern States they are using superphosphate, but I prefer Thomas's. The silver grass changes considerably in nature under this treatment, and there is more substance in it. In my opinion settlers here want lime very badly. The Government should have done something to see that this is provided. I consider that the Lake Clifton lime could be put on trucks at 7s. 6d. instead of the price they purpose charging for it. In New Zealand they can supply lime to settlers at 4s. 6d. per ton.

10797. By Mr. PAYNTER: Are there any other matters you would like to bring under the notice of the Commission?—In regard to the Trespass Act, this was passed in 1881, and I consider it ineffectual. It should be possible to bring a case of trespass before a magistrate. Now it can only be tried by a Justice of the Peace. I have lost a number of sheep from my paddocks, and I have found men mustering them, who, for the reason that they told me were out duck shooting, I am unable to take action against. My legal adviser states I could only prosecute them for spoiling my grass. Then, again, in regard to railway consumption. I consider that at the least the Government should pay a farmer for the land cleared and improvements effected. I do not mind their taking the land but they should pay for improvements. The farmer has no hope of fighting the Government, and if the Act does not permit this I think the legislation should be perfectly clear on the matter. The fact of trains passing through one's property always causes a certain amount of danger due to bush fires cause from sparks from the engine. In putting these matters before you, I only want a fair deal. In regard to the price of land, before settlers can do anything good in this district, the price of land must be altered; it is far too high. I refer to the second class land in the jarrah forests. There is a good deal of this land between here and Noggerup.

10798, To Mr. VENN: I consider the only way to clear this country is to ringbark as you proceed, not to ringbark large areas. It would really pay the Government to give this land away. It is not worth 2s. 6d., but they charge 7s. 6d. for it. I think a good deal of this country is a good orchard country. It is patchy, but there is a certain amount of moisture in places. A lot of this country could be put to better use, but it must be classified by someone