I.—2A.

[w. A. PARNHAM.

26

5. Have you any personal interest in the district, or do you own anv land there ?—None whatever. 6. In your opinion is this land more suitable for holding in large areas, or in small areas ? —I should say, small areas every time. 7. Do you think the bulk of this country, as compared with other country, could be broken in profitably % —Yes. 8. What do you estimate to be the cost of putting the land into good pasture, including the cost of fencing ? —From £6 to £7 an acre. 9. What number of dairy cows do you consider the land, when brought into that condition, will carry ? —About 2| acres to the cow. 10. Then the capital cost of the land to carry that stock would be £17 or £18 an acre ? —Yes. 11. Do you know of any other country in New Zealand that will carry a dairy cow so cheaplv ? —No. 12. Can you give the Committee any information as to the returns per cow ? —I am not a dairying man —I am grazing. 13. How soon do you think you can get a return from the pumice area ? Say you put the plough in in June of one year : by what time would you get some return ? —You would not get it till the autumn. 14. Would it be within a year ? —Yes, well within a year. 15. Have you noticed whether the country will grow turnips well ? —I have grown them as fine as any that you could show. 16. As well grown as in Canterbury ?—Yes. 17. At what would you value a crop of ordinary swedes on the first furrow ?—Roughly, £3 an acre. 18. Do you know any other area that will grow swedes in the first furrow ?—No. 19. Did you do more cultivation to grow your crop than in Canterbury, or less ? —Less cultivation than was needed in Canterbury. 20. Within easy reach of the railway, what area do you think is" suitable for cutting up into small farms ? —I should say, half a million acres. 21. As to climate, how do you think the district compares with Canterbury ?—lt is very similar to that of Canterbury, but we are subject to odd frosts in the summer months. That is the only difference, I think. 22. Have you known frosts in the summer months in Canterbury ? —Yes. 23. Is there anything in the pumice area similar to the nor'westers in Canterbury ? —No. 24. Do you estimate that there is a larger rainfall ?—Yes. We can reckon on from 40 in. to 50 in. of rainfall. 25. As regards snow —have you seen as much snow in the pumice area as in Ashburton ? —No. We are free from snow. 26. How about the growth of clovers and grasses : will they grow on the first furrow ? —Yes, straight out of the scrub. You can grow turnips or clover to perfection. 27. Have you noticed the effect of manures on the land ? —Yes. 28. How do you think it compares with the effect of manures in Canterbury ? —Manure has more effect on the pumice land than in Canterbury, to my thinking. 29. Do you consider that the country is well suited for feeding-off turnips ? —Yes ; indeed, it is ideal country for feeding-off. 30. Will the roots keep well in the ground ?—Very well. I have swedes now that we are feeding-off. 31. Do you consider that the tramping of the stock on the soil does it good ? —Yes ; the consolidation is what it wants. 32. About fruit: have you grown any kind of fruit there ? —Yes, all sorts of small and large fruits. 33. Have you grown any apples ?—Yes. 34. Had you good results ?—Yes. 35. Do you consider they were equal in flavour to fruit grown elsewhere ?—Quite. I had some in the Waikato Show this year. I did not do anything with them, but they were good enough to be shown. 36. What do you say about small fruits I—Raspberries and gooseberries do exceptionally well. 37. And what about vegetables ? —I have good vegetables growing. 38. I)o you find the land difficult to work ?—No. 39. Do you not find that in all your operations the work is comparatively easy ? —Yes. Another thing is that you can get at it at any time. 40. Do you not consider it an advantage that you can work your ground at any time, and not merely when the weather likes ? —I have no waste time. 41. Have you observed the growth of shelter-trees ? —Yes. All trees grow exceptionally well out there. 42. Is the country, generally speaking, of an easy character, or are considerable areas inaccessible ? —lt is mostly very easy land —rolling country. There is very little inaccessible land on the area at all. 43. What proportion of the area you are acquainted with would, be easily ploughable—l do not mean with the hillside plough, but easily ploughable ? —About two-thirds of it. 44. Whereabouts is your market ? Where do you buy your manures ? —I usually buy them from Westfield. 45. What about the marketing of your stock ? —I have been selling mostly locally, at Rotorua.