evidenced by the number of applications there is a strong desire to 

 acquire garden blocks under clause 55, on the coast line in the 

 neighborhood of Esperance. In this case I think the regulations 

 exactly fit the country, as there is much good garden land, though 

 in small patches." 



The Bremer Bay and Esperance districts extend 520 miles east 

 from Esperance. The Hon. G. Throssell, Commissioner of Crown 

 lands, has asked the Surveyor-General to report as to the cost of 

 sending a party to examine and report on the agricultural lands 

 available in the Bremer Bay and Esperance districts. This step has 

 been deemed necessary by the Commissioner on account of the 

 large number of enquiries for land which have been coming from 

 that quarter. At present there is very little detailed information in 

 existence with regard to the agricultural prospects of these localities. 

 The Minister is satisfied that the department should be in possession 

 of the fullest and most accurate data at the earliest possible 

 moment. 



Although the Government is not prepared to grant a railway at 

 present to Esperance, lest it should ultimately become a rival to 

 the Fremantle-Yilgarn line, they are able to show that the means of 

 transit for produce or mining machinery are not nearly so 

 unfavorable as those existing in other parts of the colony which are 

 without steam haulage. " Norseman," says Mr. A. R. Richardson, 

 late C )imnissioner of Crown lands, " is specially favored in being 

 near the coast. It is also favored with a beautiful climate, where 

 all kinds of draught stock are able to haul more than is possible in 

 a tropical climate such as that of the north-west. I say the people 

 of Norseman are favorably situated. The people in other parts of 

 tne colony such as I have mentioned, may well envy them in living 

 under conditions that are so favorable as compared with the 

 conditions existing in many other places." As for producers, a line 

 would leave them more exposed to the competition of the eastern 

 colonies ; it would chiefly benefit South Australia. Mr. Loton 

 stated when the subject was discussed in the Assembly: "The 

 people of Norseman are doing very well with their present facilities, 

 and they may continue to do well. Some of them can earn very 

 good money by carting supplies to the fields, the same as was done 

 at Ballarat in the old clays of goldfields' development in Victoria." 



Mr. John Rnshton, secretary of the Esperance agricultural, 

 horticultural and fruitgrowers' society, sends replies from the 

 society to the questions asked by the Bureau. lie says " The re- 

 plies are as reliable as it is possible to make them, taking into con- 

 sideration the very recent general settlement of this district. There 

 can be but little doubt that, given proper facilities, the district as a 

 whole is capable of much in the way of settlement, and, though the 

 soil near the coast is not striking to a casual visitor, yet what has 

 been done proves it to he better than it looks. We have no reason 

 to doubt that when the time arrives for the construction of the rail- 



