By the CHAIRMAN: What are the returns from your orchard?—Only half is in full bearing. The gross returns last year would have been, roughly, about £300 from the seven acres.

10541. Are there any ways in which the Government might assist this district to develop the dairying industry?—I think the Government should appoint an expert to buy stock, one who thoroughly understands the different breeds of cattle. Then the Government should sell the stock to the settlers at satisfactory prices, and on terms. That I think would help the dairying industry. There is, of course, the difficulty of getting labour now. I have a boy of 15 with me at present. The difficult of securing labour is one of the greatest drawbacks to the progress of the industry. If you want to go in for dairying on a large scale, you want a family of four or five of your own boys. (The witness retired.)

FRANK WILLIAM LUKIS, Orchardist and Secretary of the Roads Board, sworn and examined:

10542. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been established in this district on the land I now occupy for about nine years. I have been 24 years in the district. I hold 110 acres of freehold land and I am a quarter of a mile from the railway station. All my land is fenced. There are 25 acres cleared and cropped. There are the usual buildings on the property. I have six acres under orchard. I carry 11 head of cattle and six horses. I had practically no capital when I started. I bought the land on terms with the assistance of my brother-in-law. I graze dairy cattle. It is very good grazing land. I think a settler should hold from 100 to 150 acres in order to become successful, that is if the land is good. The land varies in quality down here. My country had been rung for two years and it cost £10 an acre to clear it. I have no complaint to make. We are satisfied with the conditions. The chief trouble is getting help, but on a small place we do not want much.

10543. By Mr. VENN: Are the settlers making good?—Yes, I do not think any of them are complaining. The small farmers are doing well on 200 or 300 acres. A lot more people are going in for dairying now than before. When I go to the trains sometimes I see 40 or 50 cream cans going into Bunbury right from Manjimup. The only thing to make this district a success is to get the large estates, such as Brooklands and Ferndale, cut up.

10544. How many acres of average country here do you think a man can make a reasonable living on?—About 300 acres.

(The witness retired.)

FRIDAY, 21st DECEMBER, 1917. (At Capel.)

Present: B. L. Clarkson, Esq., in the Chair, H.H.Paynter, Esq., F. E. Venn, Esq.

SAMUEL CLIFTON ROSE, Farmer, sworn and examined:

10545. To Mr. CLARKSON: I have been on the land I now occupy for 17 years. I have 1,113 acres altogether. Dairying is the most successful industry carried on in this district, but fruit is the biggest. We do not grow potatoes. I have 28 cows, and I send cream to the Bunbury factory. Our returns last month were £41 from the 28 cows. Our highest this year has been £43. We do not grow artificial feed, and we milk the whole year round. I daresay we would improve our returns if we grew artificial food. I do not keep any sheep. They do not run many sheep here, but those who have them do very well. With regard to cattle, I find that from the dairying point of view the Jersey is the best. I am running at the present Jerseys crossed with an Ayrshire bull. The skim milk is fed to the calves and pigs. I give most of it to the calves, but you want something else for the pigs.

10546. To Mr. VENN: I am a director of the Bunbury butter factory. The dairying industry is expanding in this district. The greatest amount of butter turned out from the factory per week this year was something over 9,000lbs. If a small bacon factory were established, it would induce the farmers to go in for more pigs. At the present time they can breed more than there is a market for. They breed chiefly to send to the Perth market. That is rather a hard thing to do at this time of the year. I am just off the Stirling Estate. The repurchase of the estate was, in my opinion, a good thing. In regard to the drainage scheme at that estate, I was a member of the Drainage Board, and I think the