not the Government obtain the services of experienced men such as are to be found in the Farmers and Settlers' Association in almost every district who would be willing and able to advise on land values, soil characteristics and instruct new settlers how to proceed. The Government can obtain men in the Farmers and Settlers' Association in each district who can be relied upon to advise the settlers to their advantage. As it is now there is no local advisory board to help these men. It is shameful the way these men are treated. The men I refer to who would advise these men are those who have gained their experience in the district. In regard to land served by these drainage schemes, the engineers have advised that this land is drained, but speaking as a civil engineer I say it has never been drained properly. The question of growing potatoes on this land which is supposed to be surveyed and drained is the biggest mistake ever made. Why cannot the Government expend a few pounds more on the land and drain it properly instead of sending these men out there and running them? If they spend money properly at Lake Sadie they could put in a good scheme. So far as I have seen, the whole of this country can be sweetened and put under grass and if the departmental experts had only advised the people not to go in for dairying, they would have done well by themselves and the settlers. Dairying is going to be the thing in these districts. (The witness retired.)

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JOHN NEWTON, representing Newton Bros., King River, via Albany, sworn and examined:

11617. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been 10 years on the land in this district. I came from England. I have had a life long experience on the land. I originally took a homestead block and after I had been two years on it I sold this and from that time I have been renting properties. I rent at the present time with my brother a property of 240 acres, of which, however, 175 is practically useless. There are 50 to 55 acres of cultivable land, 19 acres of orchard and the balance swamp land, and grass paddocks. I have 50 to 55 acres cleared. My property is all fenced; we have two horses, two cows and 10 pigs. We leased the property five years ago and pay £350 per annum rent. For the first year we made a success of it and have always done so and have met our rents and dues. Fortunately we have capital to fall back on. During the past two years we have only just made ends meet on account of the high cost of fruit cases and other commodities. I paid also £150 for a grazing property, and used to run a butchering business in Albany, but the term of this lease expired. This year on the leased property we can more than meet our liabilities. We are able to successfully market everything we produce. Our principal living is from the orchard. What occasioned the loss in the last two years was sun burn, winds and thrip. The cost of production now is 20 per cent. higher than it used to be.

11618. By Mr. VENN: What other crops do you grow?—We produce pumpkins and potatoes. We put in about eight acres of both each year.

11619. Is your land subject to floods?—No, the floods do not worry us. This year on account of the heavy rains, unfortunately, the potatoes have started to shoot again. These rains are exceptional. The country is well drained and it is only a continuous flooding that will do us any harm. Our average yield is 3½ tons of potatoes. We have had from two to eight tons per acre.

11620. By the CHAIRMAN: Are there any matter you wish specially like to bring before the notice of the Commission likely to be of benefit to the industry?—I will speak now on behalf of the King River Association, of which I am President. The settlers are of opinion that drain pipes are necessary in their orchard country. The King River district is essentially an orchard district and on the sides and slopes of the hills outbreaks of water occur, so that the hill sides need under drainage. It is considered that the Government should subsidise a kiln in the district for burning pipes. The settlers obtained a quote for pipes from Perth, which was such that they were not in a position to pay the freight on bringing pipes from Perth. If someone was assisted to start drain pipe manufacture locally, it would be of great assistance to us. Five years ago the Government was approached on the matter, but nothing was done. (The Chairman explained that it would be necessary to place the Government in possession of particulars of the quantities of pipes that would be required in the district before it would be possible for the Minister concerned to go into the matter.)

11621. WITNESS: I have tried to get these figures and I understand that the affiliated society in Albany is going into the matter with the object of doing as you say. So far as I am concerned, I am still trying to get figures that will form a basis on which we can approach the Government. In regard to the use of second-hand fruit cases; at the present time the use of second-hand cases in an area two miles distant from the Albany Post Office is restricted. We have asked that these restrictions should be removed and that instead the cases should be treated by fumigating or dipping. In regard to the cool store at Albany, settlers come a great distance to Albany with fruit and other produce, which it is necessary to store and they would like a tramway to run two days per week to the cool store, which is 2½ miles from the town. Settlers bringing produce in by road cannot take their fruit to the cool store on account of the condition of the road to it.

11622. Is this cool store served by a railway siding?—Yes, but it is in regard to those that bring their produce in by road that I wish to proffer this request. The farmers have practically to keep up what can only be termed a tourist road. We have to maintain 20 miles of tourist road from rates paid by the settlers. It is considered that a special grant should be given us.

11623. By Mr. PAYNTER: If the Government over the main roads, would this get over the difficulty?—It is rather difficult to say what are main roads, as the tourist travel all over the roads in our district. Licenses are collected by the municipality for motors and other vehicles and we get nothing. In regard to telephone communication, five years ago we communicated with the