45

1.—13.

F. W. THOMAS.]

3. You have prepared a statement of your receipts and expenditure in connection with the production of butterfat ?—Yes. The statement is as follows :— Capital . £ £ Dairying area —9 I. J, acres at, £75 ... ... ... ... ... 6,862 Stock—l bull at £31 ... ... ... ... ... 31 38 milking-cows at £18 ... ... ... ... 684 12 yearlings at £4 ... ... ... ... 4-8 15 calves at £2 ... ... ... ... ... 30 3 working-horses ... ... ... ... 95 12 pigs ... ... ... ... ... ... . 42 930 Plant,, milking-machines, separator, farm implements ... .., 254 £8,046 Revenue and Expenditure, Year ending 30th Junk. 1920. Expenditure. £ £ Interest on capital at 6 per cent. ... ... ... ... 483 Insurance, rates, and taxes ... ... ... ••• 31 Benzine, oil, and rubbers ... ... ... ... 26 Loss of stock (one cow) ... ... ... ... ... 18 Depreciation, 10 per cent. ... ... ... ... 93 Cultivation charges, including manures, seeds, and wages ... 98 749 Milking wages — One employee (including keep) ... ~. ... 208 Owner at £5 per week ... ... ... ... 260 468 Cartage ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 Food purchased for stock ... ... ... ... 5 Sundry expenses ... ... ... ... ... 45 70 £1,287 Revenue. £ £ 8,5191b. butterfat at Is. Bd. .. ... ... 727 Calves sold ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 Bigs sold ... .. ... ... ... ... 22 Value of farm-products used by family ... ... ... 75 868 Loss ... ... ... ... ... ... £419 4. You have put down the price of the 91 \ acres at £75: is that the price of the land? —That is the selling-value, but 1 could get £80 per acre for it to-day. 5. The statement you have produced shows a loss of £419 for the year? —Yes. 1 pay £3 a week to an employee, and that includes £1 a week for his keep. 6. You put your own wages down, which would cover the family, at £260?— Yes. The only reason that I can live on the place is that I bought it in an unimproved state and worked it up. My work has been put into the farm. 7. Mr. Powdrell.] The loss you have shown is basing the lantl on the present-day values?— Yes; the interest on the capital value at 6 per cent. I put down at £483. 8. What did you give for the land ? —£ls per acre. 9. What do you value it at now? —£75. 10. How many acres 1-. —9lJ acres. 11. The loss you set down about represents the rise in the value of Ihe land: you would just about pay your way if you worked it out on the original value?— Yes. It was an unimproved farm, and 1 had to fence it. drain it, and improve it. I have put my labour into it for the last fifteen years. 12. Your cows return an average of 224 lb. of butterfat? —Yes. 13. The Chairman.] Were you always able to allow yourself £5 a week in wages when you took up the farm?—No; I think for the majority of the time I would not make £2 a week except for the last few good years. 14. In regard to Ihe price of butter, do you consider that the farmer should get all there is in it on the world's market? —Yes, I certainly do. 15. Supposing butter hail to continue to be sold at the present price, do you consider the difference should be made up by an export tax?—l do not agree with an export, tax. 1 believe in the law of supply and demand regulating the price of our produce 16. Mr. Powdrell.] That is, if there is a big thing in farming and big profits to be made, it is open for every one to get the big profits?— Yes; let them go into farming and try it. 17. And you are quite willing to get out?— Yes. I am quite willing to take interest on my money and get out. At present I work thirteen hours a day and have no holidays, and work live hours on Sundays. We have to be there to look after the cows even when we are not milking. 18. Mr, Hockly.] You are not allowing anything in your statement for interest or depreciation, and taking merely the receipts and expenditure your return at the end of the year was £157, allowing yourself £5 a week wages for the family?— Yes. I should like to say that T could not live off the farm alone if I did not have other means. 19. Mr. Powdrell,] What hours do you consider the milkers work on ihe farm, and yourself? —We start milking at half past sin the morning and finish work at 7at night, never taking a full hour for meals.