SELECTIONS FROM THE SPECIAL REPLIES REFERRED TO IN TABLE VI.

1. Southern District.—“A more thorough system of husbandry would be carried out, greater attention would be paid to root crops and the feeding of stock, and as a result a much larger return would be obtained from the same acreage.”

2. Southern District.—“I would, to the extent of improving 150 acres of swamp, and improving my fenced land by breaking up what is fit to plough, by better cultivation of that already ploughed, by the growing of green crops, and the planting of live fences and belts and clumps of plantation, and also by improving leasehold land to the extent of over 1000 acres.”

3. Southern District.—“If labour were more easily obtained and not so expensive, a farm like the one described could be made to produce one-third more. Harvesters at the present time are very scarce and difficult to be obtained at 10s. per day. I may also state that if labour were cheap and procurable, I could, during the next year, bring at least 300 additional acres into cultivation.”

4. Southern District.—“If labour were cheaper, I would continue agriculture; but if not, I intend to do less in cropping.”

5. Southern District.—“If labour were more abundant and the rate of wages much lower, farmers and settlers would undoubtedly avail themselves of it to a greater extent than at present. A lower rate of wages and a more abundant supply of labour would at the same time be followed by an increased production of all the cereals, tending to glut our markets and eventually discourage the extension of the growth of cereals, there being no profitable means of exporting. If the rate of wages were about half that at present, the breaking up and laying down lands in grass to depasture heavy sheep, looking to the wool for profit, might be extended wherever the soil, aspect, and climate were suitable. Unless our consuming population be augmented by other industries springing up, there must necessarily be found a limit soon to the profitable growth of cereals. The true position of a settler here would be that of a freehold grazier having his market (i. e. for wool) in Great Britain. Barley for malting purposes might give profitable employment to large numbers in some districts, being grown as a rotation crop on lands broken up from old lea grass, depastured by sheep as aforesaid.”

6. Southern District.—“The supply is not so much the difficulty as the want of skill and the high wages demanded.”

7. Southern District.—“If the price of labour here bore the same proportion to the price of wheat as in Britain, I should quadruple the number of my employees. If the proportion between the price of wheat and labour here were the same as in Canada or California, or even in Australia or Tasmania, I believe that every farmer could and would profitably double the number of his labourers.”

8. Central District.—“A farmer having 300 or 400 acres, if labour were cheaper, would employ 20 men all the year round, but at the present rate of wages and the reduced prices of farming produce, we are able to employ only a few men at present.”

9. Central District.—“I can always get plenty of labourers, but not of the right class, and the wages are too high. I might employ more men, but if they cannot be got better and cheaper I must employ fewer. The indifferent sort of labourers, the present prices of grain, and the high wages will stop cultivation to a great extent. The government contracts are let too high for the farmers to compete with them. The men in the government employ work about 7 hours a day, whereas my own work about 9 hours.”

10. Central District.—“If I could get good farm servants I would put more in cultivation.”

11. Central District.—“I consider the advantages to be derived by all classes from Immigration of inestimable value, and I consider that the Government acted most reprehensibly in neglecting this portion of its duty in the way it has done, as I believe by so doing this province has not been in a position to its proper development from labour, male and female.”

12. Northern District.—“Improvements are on all sides impeded to an extent not easily described, by the very high rate of wages at present. If labour were more abundant and consequently cheaper, improvements would for some time at least be nearly doubled. This will appear with especial force to the plantation of forest trees.”

13. Northern District.—“If labour were more abundant I would not employ any more hands, having sons.”

14. Northern District.—“Certainly. If the supply of labor were more abundant, the price of labour would be cheaper, and I as a capitalist would employ far more men than I do, to their own benefit as well as my own.”

15. Northern District.—“On account of the expense of labour, I am obliged to buy land down in grass.”

16. Northern District.—“Were labour much cheaper than it is at present, I would bring quickly under cultivation every acre I possess, and I would carry on very extensively the planting of trees of all sorts. The present price of labour prevents me doing more in either than I have already done.”

17. Northern District.—“Yes, to the extent of cultivating 2000 acres and fencing 7000 acres.”

18. Northern District.—“Not being able to get men my family are obliged to work.”

19. Southern District.—“The supply is equal to the demand.”

20. Southern District.—“I consider the supply equal to the demand, nor would I extend my operations if labour were cheaper.”