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[h. NICHOLSON.

10. Is it suitable for dairying ?■ —Yes, it is adapted for that—the whole of it. 11. And this 20,000 acres held by few owners would cut up into what areas for that purpose ? — I should say, in sections-of from 50 to 250 acres. I would say that there would be about a hundred farms for dairying purposes. 12. You do part dairying yourself ? —Yes. 13. And what do you do with your milk ?■ —I separate the milk at my farm and send the cream to Koputaroa, between four and five miles away. 14. How many times a week do you send the cream in ? —Three times a week. 15. You could not send the milk in to Levin if you wanted to ?—No. 16. The Chairman.] Why not ? Gould you not send it four miles ?—lt is eight miles to Levin. 17. How far are you from the nearest railway-station ? —Between four and five miles. 18. Mr. Luckie.] Could you send the milk in there every day ? —Yes, if I got up about 1 o'clock in the morning and did the milking. .1.9. Is it a fact that any farmers in the district do it over that journey ?—We are doing it at the present time, but wo have to separate our milk. 20. But I mean sending the milk in and not separating ?■ —No, not where lam living. I cannot do it. 2L. With regard to settlers who live in or about Levin, where does the chief demand come from for the milk I —Those about Levin have the factory close at hand, but those who do not turn the milk into butter send the cream to Palmerston North. 22. Is there any demand for milk ?—I should say there would be in Wellington. 23. Is there not a large demand in Wellington for the milk from Levin ? —Yes. 24. What is the area of Grace Bros.' land ?—About 5,000 acres. 25. The Chairman.] Does that not include some sandy land ? —Yes, some of it. 26. Mr. Luckie.] Is 5,000 acres the total of Grace Bros.' area ? —Yes. 27. Do you know of any farmers more than two miles away from the railway-line who send their milk in to Wellington ? —No. 28. If you could get your milk into Levin what would you do with it ? —I would certainly send it to Wellington, because I would get more money for it. 29. How much does it cost you to send your chaff to Foxton or Levin % —los. per ton for cartage-— that is to Foxton, a distance of five miles, and to Levin, which is eight miles away. 30. Why is there that difference ? —Because they are going in one way empty and coming back with, a load. If they were going into Foxton, of course, it is cheaper from Levin. The carriers are at Foxton every day, and they bring merchandise and other stufi cheaper, because as a general rule they go down empty to Foxton and bring the loads back, to Levin. 3.1. What do they charge you for manures from Foxton \ —Just the same , —los. per ton. 32. And Levin % —Bs. per ton. 33. You cannot get it to Foxton, then, except under 10s. per ton % —No, you have to specially order them to go there. 34. Mr. Myers.] You do mixed farming ? —Yes. 35. And apparently you say the tendency is to increase in the direction of dairying ? —Yes. 36. You see the suggested route on the map from Levin to Foxton: how near are you to that line ?—lt runs through my property. 37. So that it would suit you quite well ? —Yes; but I am only like a good many more. 38. I suppose you are one of a number of people in the neighbourhood who would like the railway ?—Yes. 39. And have you gentlemen who desire the railway taken any trouble to make any inquiries as to the cost ?—We arc thinking about it now. What are we here for, except to give evidence to see if we cannot further it ? 40. Prior to coming here you gentlemen had not considered the cost of the railway, or how it is going to affect the people elsewhere than in your own district ?—I could not say. I think they have all been thinking of it for years. That has cropped up now and then for about ten or twelve years.

Walthb Uyjjeu sworn and examined. (No. 29.) 1. Mr. Luckie.\ You are a farmer residing at Levin?— Yes. 2. Do you know the country lying between Levin Station and the Manawatu River?— Yes. <i. Can you give us any idea of what areas it is at present held in ?—The Maedoiiald Estate is the biggest estate —they have about 15,000 acres; and there is a large area belonging to the Grace brothers. Some of it is first-class land, the other is second and third rate. 4. How much land there is suitable for dairying?— The majority of it is suitable for dairying. 5. What is the bulk of it used for at present?— For grazing. (>. What areas would it divide into? Would it be suitable for farming if there was better access?— From 50 acres up to 200 acres, I should say. 7. Would all of that be suitable for dairying?— Yes. 8. At present those farmers who do dairying on parts of their land —do they send the milk or cream to the factory?— Any farmers dairying any distance back separate the milk on the farm, on account of the distance. ■It saves them, a lot of extra running about. They take the cream in three or four times a week, whereas they would have to go every day with the milk. In some instances it would take four horses to take the milk, whereas it requires only one to take the cream.