I.—2A.

[W. A. PARNHAM.

28

82. Do you think, then, that in the upper parts of the country water would be found by boring deep enough ?—That I do not know anything about, but I know that all the valley is beautifully watered. 83. How would you suggest that this land should be handled in order that the settlers would get a return with the least possible delay ? —I should suggest that you take a piece of land and have group settlement upon it. 84. What would be the system of putting the land in order ? —I should plough it, and take a crop of turnips off it first. 85. Instead of putting the farmer on it to struggle with a limited amount of capital, and wait a long time for a return : how would you avoid that ?—I would put the settler on wages. 86. You probably heard me ask the previous witness for his opinion as to putting teams of men on to work the land and get it in order, and then putting, probably, some of the men who have done that job on the land. Do you think that would be the most speedy way of doing it ?—The most speedy way of doing the business, and have a supervisor over them ; and let the supervisor pick the men he considers fit for the job. 87. Do you think it would be advisable, in each of these cases where you have men assembled on such a job, to carry on educational work in order to fit them for farming from the scientific point of view ? Do you think that would be profitable to the State ?—Yes. 88. In that way they would be studying the scientific side as well as the practical side ?• —Yes, but there is more in the practical side. 89. But side by side with their experience, is it not necessary that they should have some scientific knowledge ? Do you not think it would be profitable to the State to have groups of men put to work on the land, in order to have a well-informed overseer over them, who could deliver lectures in the evenings on questions of science ?—1 do not know that after a man has done eight hours' work, especially in that country, he will want to take on study. 90. You think that in that case he would not be fit for study ?—I do not think he would be able to swallow it. I think the men would learn more by practice. 91. But you do think that putting men to work on certain areas of this land would be the best and most profitable way of bringing it into cultivation ?—Yes, and that system would be helping to do away with unemployment. 92. Mr. Massey.] Can you tell us what it costs to bring an acre of land into cultivation in Canterbury ?—I could work it out. 93. What does it cost to plough an acre of land in Canterbury I—About lis. 94. What does it cost to plough an acre of land at Taupo I—lt is about a horse lighter, I consider, than in the case of land in Canterbury. The Taupo land is very much more easily worked. If you get on clay country in Canterbury you probably have to disk it three times, whereas you disk it only once at Taupo. 95. Then you could work the Taupo land for about half the Canterbury cost ? —I do not say half, but you could reduce it a lot. 96. If you got transport facilities you could use more fertilizer ? —Yes. It is prohibitive now to put too much on. 97. Having been a Canterbury man, you realize the value of handling clover-seeds I—Yes. 98. Could the Taupo land be developed for that purpose ? —Yes. It is the finest clover-growing country I have seen. 99. Mr. Samuel.] You are of ojfinion that there is a very large area of land in the district capable of immediate settlement ? —Yes. 100. Do you agree substantially with Mr. Eollett's evidence ? —I do. 101. Is this land, in your opinion, of the same value without a railway as it would be with a railway ?—Certainly not. 102. You think it could not be profitably settled without being opened up by a railway ?—lt could not. 103. You bought your property from the Maoris ? —Yes. 104. I suppose there is a lot more Maori-owned land in the Taupo district ?—Yes. 105. Would, not the railway be of immense benefit to the Maoris ?—Yes. 106. And I suppose their land is not very valuable without a railway ?—lt is not. 107. Mr. Lye.] Do you consider that it is absolutely essential that there should be a railway before settlement can take place ? —I do think so. 108. And that a road would not suit as well ? —I do not see how a road is going to cope with the position. I should say it would cost as much to put in a road as a railway is going to cost. 109. Mr. Makitanara.\ How long have you had your place ?—Six years. 110. What is the distance to the nearest railway ? —About twenty-five miles. 111. And you are doing well ? —Not particularly well; we could do better. 112. But you are doing quite comfortably ? —No ; we are not satisfied. 113. Is it because there is a railway project in view that you are not satisfied ? —No. 114. Have you not good roads ? —No ; they are not good for stock. 115. What do you mean by their being no good for stock ?—Well, they are fair roads. 116. Do you get bogged on them ?—No. 117. Others with the same experience as yourself as practical farmers could do just as well as you, could they not ? —No. 118. Not men with the same experience as yourself ? —No. 119. You are in a fool's paradise, then ? —Yes.