sheep there without a dog-proof fence. The dogs have killed pigs in the district. We have not sold any pigs yet. Eightpence a pound is offered for pigs. 117. By the CHAIRMAN : What machinery have you ? — A four-furrow stump-jump plough , a ten-furrow disc plough , one seed stump-jump harrow , one fifteen disc seed drill , one stripper, one reaper and blinder , one winnower and a chaffcutter. Some of this machinery I got via Esperance and some via Norseman. 118. What were the freight charges ? — I have not the figures here. I will supply them later. The best plough with which to break up the mallee is the stump-jump.The disc is the better for fallowing old land. 119. By Mr. PADBURY: Have you been troubled much with suckers? — Yes ; They grow as high as a horse in twelve months. We rolled virgin land in November , got a good fire through it in February , and cleaned up and put the stump-jump plough through. We have to nick all the big stuff in front of the roller. We have to go through the suckers at least twice a year. 120. The land you have cultivated is freer from mallee growth now ? — Oh yes. 121. By the CHAIRMAN : What is it worth to clear the mallee for the plough? — I paid 7s. 6d. and 6s. 6d. per acre for rolling . I have not the cost of picking up . I paid 17s. 6d. per acre for ploughing and seeding. The stump-jump pulls up a great many roots in the second year. 122. By Mr. McDONALD: Can you plough that land dry in February?— Not well . It has a stiff clay subsoil, 4in. to 6in. below the surface. 123. Do you think waiting for the rain is better than dry ploughing?— Sometimes they cannot plough dry. We get a good deal of native grasses. 124. Would you be prepared to give up your holding and take another in any other district ? — Not if we are to get the railway. 125. By Mr. PADBURY: Will pig raising pay well ? — Not until we have a bacon-curing factory down there, or , alternatively , railway facilities.. (The witness retired) ARTHUR RICHARDSON, Medical Practitioner, Kalgoorlie, widower, with five girls and four boys , sworn and examined: 126. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you own or occupy and land in the Esperance district? —Yes, 1,000 acres at Grass Patch , of which 200 acres have been cleared , fenced and cultivated, giving an average of about 8½ bushels of wheat and half a ton of hay. This was in 1914 . The land has been cleared for three years. I have not cultivated this year because of the delay in the building of the railway. I had the suckers cut down. They grow very fast when there is no cultivation. I have had two crops. Last years crop was largely self-sown and patched up and I could do nothing with it. I let my son use the crop. I could do nothing with the stack. The mice were eating it down. I had a large quantity of wheat wasted in the same way, because i could not get it away. The Government bought about £80 worth and i sold another £20 worth privately. Federation wheat was the principal crop. I have one dam of fair capacity; it holds well ; the water is beautifully fresh and soft.The dam was put down four years ago and it has never since been empty. Practically it has been full all the time. I had a windmill for raising water; but I am afraid that has gone. The block is Location 36, Lease 8667/56. I have had two men employed all the time and i had some contract labour also, but I do not employ anybody now. My son keeps his eye on the place. To one man I paid £4 a week, and to another £3 10s. The costs of getting machinery and super to the farm are very heavy.It takes a team of at least six or eight horses to move any weight at all. I got my machinery through Norseman. I have not the freight figures , but I will let you have them later. I put in the crop with super but I forget how much we used. It was the recognised proportion. The Government advanced me super on one crop and I paid it back out of the wheat I sold them. With more super we would probably get better crops.I think the land would take practically all the super that could be put on it. One has been afraid to launch out down there because the outlook was so uncertain. The country down there is all right for wheat growing. My block is all mallee land. I think farming down there would be profitable if we had a railway. Anything and everything will grow. Turnips up to 9lbs. weight and beetroot also 9lbs. weight have been grown without artificial watering. I do not think there can be anything in the soil discouraging to the growth of cereals. All the crops look beautiful. 127. Do you think there is too much salt in the soil? — If there is it does not hinder the growth . We got eight bushels from last years crop and through the watefulness of the stripper I lost as much again.I have been in Kalgoorlie for 23 years> I have always been a supporter of the Esperance Railway. In the first place I was interested in Esperance as a cool resort for the goldfields babies. I have never stayed in Esperance for any length of time in the summer. 128. Are you satisfied with your investment in the mallee land ? — No , because we have no means of getting our produce away.If we had a railway I would be prepared to go on with improvements. I would never have taken up the land had the railway not been definitely promised. 129. By Mr. PADBURY: what rainfall have you down there? — From 12½ inches to 16 inches. The lowest ever known was 12½ inches. There are always good rains about November. There is not much rain in the summer. 130. By the CHAIRMAN: Is there anything else you can tell us ?— It all hinges on the railway.Given a railway the expense of living would not be so great. Everything is very dear for want of a railway, without which we cannot get our produce away. The land is good enough for anything. Properly farmed it would give wonderful returns. My crop was ploughed and harrowed. Allowing for the waste occasiobned by a defective stripper , the crop went about 16 bushels. The climate down there is excellent ; the heat in the middle of the day being tempered by sea breezes. Esperance itself is an ideal sanatorium. 131. By Mr. PADBURY : Have you any residential improvements on your block?—I have a small cottage. (The witness retired)