a—l 2.

B. ROWAN.]

79

Robert Rowan, Fields Inspector for the Department of Agriculture, stationed at Auckland. To Mr. Greville.] He was now stationed at Auckland. He had established an experimental farm at Albany. The area was nearly 6 acres. This land was just fail-—not especially good. It was in the spring of 1912 that he commenced his experiments. He first cleared the land of scrub, and tea-tree, and blackberry and then ploughed it. He was not much troubled with potholes, which were not more than 8 in. or 9 in. deep. It. w-as late in the winter when this was done, and he left it for about three months, then started to work it up. The working given was very thorough. He then put in oats. As manures he used basic slag, blood and bone, and lime. The cost was about £1 15s. per acre altogether. The ground was not very deeply dug. The results obtained were splendid as regards the grasses; also a good crop of oats, which had to be ploughed in three times before it was got rid of. No more manure was used —he just put it down in grasses-—about thirty-five varieties: (I) Brazilian water-grass (Paspalum Brazilianum) ; (2): Paspalum virgatum; (3) prairie-grass (Mediterranean Carinatus); (4) prairie-grass (Bromus anioliodes) ; (5) Bromus pumpillaria; (6) hairy oat-grass (Avena pubescens); (7) canary-grass or Toowoomba grass (Phalaria commutata); (8) false brome-grass (Br achy podium sylvaticum); (9) florin (Agrostis stolonifera) ; (10) brown-top (Agrostis cdnina); (11) red-top (Agrostis vulgaris); (12) Festuca decolorens; (13) sand-fescue (Festuea arenaria); (14) timothy (Phleum prateme); (15) Wakeman's fescue (Festuea armaria); (16) Chilian fescue (Dumetorum); .(17) Bromus pacificus; (18) TJanthonia Cunninghamii. small-flowered (oat tussock-grass); (19) Br achy podium pinnatum (heath, false brome-grass); (20) Avena elatior (tall oat-grass): (21) wood meadow-grass (Poa nemoralis); (22) subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneurn); (22a) German clover (Onobrychis sativa); (23) giant white clover; (24) wild white clover (Trifolium repens var.); (25) Lotus angustissimus; (26) melilotus (yellow); (27) yellow oat-grass (Avena. flavescens); (28) Danthonia, semi annularis; (29) serrandella ; (30) sheep's burnet (Poterium sanguisorba); (31) red fescue (Festuea rubra); (32) hassock-grass (Aira casspitosa) : (33) reed canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea); (34) bittle-grass ; (35) Lotus vittosus. He had arrived at the conclusion that if the gum lands were thoroughly worked they would grow anything. Lucerne grew splendidly. Some of it they had cut six times within the year. The last time it was cut was in the month of February. Some of it had been planted last spring, some the spring before. The secret was in the working of the land. He had travelled no further north than Kaukapakapa. What they had done at Albany could be done anywhere in the North provided the land was cultivated properly. It was very hard to say what the land at Albany was worth per acre since they had treated it, but he thought that a prudent farmer could pay £20 per acre for it and it would pay him. He \v.as a firm believer in the manuring'of the ground. They had made no attempt to get gum out of the land, though a little was got out now and then. To Mr. Stafford.] The Department would give information at any time to any one inquiring : and would let any one see all they were doing. The results of the three experimental places north of-Whangarei were not so good as those at Albany. To Mr. Greville.] Large areas of Government land were lying idle which were capable of being cultivated. It was practically an undeveloped country, but was capable of growing anything. James Trounson, Elective Member of the Auckland- Land Board. To Mr. Greville.] He was the elective member of the Auckland Land Board, and had been on the Board for six or seven years. He had property up Kaihu way, which was partially gum land. He had been across the Kai-iwi country. He had listened to the previous evidence fully. He had been to Albany and found the results there very good—very encouraging indeed. He. knew the gum lands in many places, and had for a long time past considered that most of the reserves should be lifted and the land settled. Some of the gum land w-as not worth anything, but a good deal; of it was valuable land. Tn regard to the Kaihu land, portions of it were all right, but other portions were not worth anything, as the deep swamps in the valley could not be drained. He thought that a great deal of the gum lands could be profitably dealt with. He was of the opinion,' after examining the Kai Iwi Reserve, that the reservation should be lifted. He thought that the Government should be quite satisfied that they were right in lifting the reservations before they acted, but all ..the same he was of opinion that if the reserves were lifted the land would be taken up by better men than at present. The value of the kauri-gum exported from New Zealand last year was somewhere about £500.000. In regard to the lifting of the reservations, he thought that the Ranger was capable of advising the Land Board; that he was sufficiently expert to give proper advice. He regarded the Commission as unnecessary. The Ranger was quite capable of giving a disinterested report. He would not object to having any land of his dug over. He considered that it did more good than harm having the ground turned over by the diggers. He knew of some private people who were developing their gum lands at the present time. He was developing his own. To Mr. Stafford.] He did not think that all the gum reserves should be lifted. The Government should discriminate. When they w-ere lifted the land should be cut up and put into the open market in the ordinary way—that is, by- ballot. He had never interfered with the diggers. Tn regard; to potholing, he would discriminate as to whether he would allow it or not. He considered that if the diggers had to fill in the potholes the industry would suffer. To Mr. Greville.'] He had about 6.000 acres of land at Kaihu. but did not set much store on it as gum land. He bought it for the sake of timber rights. When he had got the timber out lie fenced it and put it down in grass, the results being far better than he expected. He spent about £10.000 in putting the land back into crass. He raised six thousand sheen on the land. He had never" thought of selling his land, and did not know the value of it. Tmimproved value