IOO 



Mr. Piesse is much impressed with the facilities that are now 

 presented to new settlers, in comparison with the harder lot of those 

 who had to pay what are no\v admitted to have been oppressive 

 prices for their holdings under the regime of the Western Australian 

 Land company. To have the state as a landlord, offering cheap land, 

 and cheap loans to improve it, instead of being under the rule of the 

 owners of a private railway, whose freights, time table, and general 

 regulations were beyond the control of the Parliament of the 

 colony, is an object that Mr. Piesse has labored for. He endeavored 

 for years to throw off a yoke that was repressing the settlement of 

 the land and keeping down the growing of food supplies for the 

 population of Western Australia. The thrall of private rule was 

 creating class interests of the most injurious kind, the Government 

 tenants being privileged to prosper, while their southern neighbors 

 were galled by the rigor of their contracts. Now that the cause 

 which was so long fought for has been won, Mr. Piesse submits 

 that it is within the reach of the new men to do as much in twelve 

 months, with the aid of the Land bank, as many of the older 

 residents were able to accomplish in three years. Formerly Wagin 

 Lake was the destination of men of means, whose substantial stone 

 houses more like suburban villas of the middle-classes than the 

 humpies in which pioneers have lived in some parts of Australia 

 attest that they have come to stay ; but even some of these found it 

 to be very exacting to pay as much as 2 per acre to the Western 

 Australian Land company, instead of ics. per acre to the Lands' 

 department. To them the purchase of the land grants by the 

 Government has brought a most sensible relief, for Sir John Forrest 

 has announced that if Parliament approves of the step he will be in 

 favor of remitting all payments beyond los. per acre, no matter how 

 much the owners of the blocks agreed to give the company for 

 them. This question is expected to come before Parliament during 

 the ensuing session ; but as the Forrest Government is fresh from 

 an appeal to the country, with a substantial majority behind it, no 

 doubt is felt as to the vote upon the question as to whether the 

 conditional purchasers from the company are to be placed on the 

 same footing as those who dealt in the first instance direct with the 

 Crown. So far, however, nothing has been said respecting the 

 making of a refund to purchasers w r ho have their titles, of the 

 amounts which they paid in excess of los. per acre for their properties. 



Mr. Piesse, who is entitled from his long and extensive exper- 

 ience on the subject, to speak with authority, makes the following 

 classification of the soils of the district of Wagin and Katanning : 

 (i). A light sandy soil, having a clay subsoil, on which chiefly grows 

 white gums and patches of manna. This land will grow one or two 

 successful crops of cereals in a good season, and if it is not then 

 enriched it should be used for pasture or planted with fruit trees. 

 A profitable use can be made of these areas by ploughing them in 

 September and planting immediately crops of the squash tribe, which 



