Mr. J.M.Craig, continued,

327. By Hon. R. G. Burges: Have you sold your interests out of the country?—I should like to.

328-9. By Mr. Loton: You think, Mr Craig, from your point of view it is immaterial so far as the consumer of meat is concerned, whether any meat is raised here or not?—Well upon my word, I do not think it would make much difference while the trade is in the hands of a few. It would affect the country.

330. By Hon. R.G. Burges: You admit that it would affect the country tremendously?—It would affect the country considerably; there is no doubt about that.

331. By Mr. Harper: I did not hear the original question. The point, I understand, is this: Would the rabbits destroy the pastoral industry or affect the price of meat. I can quite understand Mr. Craig's answer that it would not affect it at all, but it might affect the country. I do not suppose Mr.Craig would deny that?—Of course I know it would be disastrous to the country, but I do not think, as far as the price of meat is concerned, it would be affected.

—————

Mr. Henry Saniford King, examined.

332. By the Chairman: We have asked you to come and give us some general idea of the country where we have various lines of fences proposed: can you tell us to what parts your knowledge extends?—Well, say, from Dundas up to the Mt. Margaret goldfield.

333. Do you know anything of the country Westward of the line?—Only Parker's Range.There is a part of the country there practically unknown, but the Bremer Range country is known and a few miles to the South.

334. By Hon. R.G. Burges: It has all been explored?—All the exploration is shown.

335. People have been all over there; Mr. Hassell has been there?—There is a man named Hogarth in the Titles Office who I believe was prospecting out there. (Witness here described the country followed by the line of proposed fencing.)

336. By the Chairman: You are at present Under Secretary for Mines?—Yes, sir.

337. What was the title of your previous appointment?—I was inspecting surveyor on the Eastern goldfields; previously to that staff surveyor in the Lands Department.

338. Now, Mr. King, there have been three lines of fencing talked about to stop this reported rabbit invasion. The original one was a line running due North and South upon the 121st parallel of longitude; do you see that on the chart?—Yes.

339. Another line was that blue mark, above the other line there?—Yes.

340. The line you have just sketched in there?—Yes.

341. Can you give us any opinion of the country both as regards its pastoral and agricultural capabilities, and also as regards its general formation, on either of those routes?—Well, I may say, sir, that my knowledge of this country is only to be taken from my knowledge of the country to the East and to the West, and from what I have heard of the country, we will say from Starvation Cove Harbour to Burracoppin, there would be no rough country; it would be undulating waving country with a good deal of mallee and a good deal of sand plain, and patches of good big timber.

342. Would there be any timber suitable for fencing material?—Yes.I think any line you liked to take you could depend upon good timber not far off. The timber would be quite big enough for anything. The scrub would be small timber, but probably suitable for a low fence.

343. You are talking now particularly of that line from Burracoppin to Starvation Cove?—Starvation Cove Harbour.

344. Your remarks, I suppose, would apply to a considerable portion of that line South of Burracoppin; that blue line marked South of Boorabbin?—Very similar country, as far as I know.

345. And you think there would be no difficulty about getting plenty of fencing timber within a reasonable distance of those lines?—I think not.

346. As to the formation of that country, would it be much broken up by rough ground, gullies and gutters and water-courses?—I should say it would not be. I cannot say as to Bremer Range, but taking the country generally it would be more like a long roll of the sea.

347. By Hon. R.G. Burges: No long rivers?—No.

347A. That line might just cross the head of the Oldfield?—Yes; it might do that.

348. By the Chairman: Of the value from a pastoral and agricultural point of view, what class of country would that line between Burracoppin and Starvation Cove pass over?—From what I have seen, for the first 30 or 40 miles, there would be fair patches of agricultural country.

349. From Starvation Cove?—Yes. After you get 30 or 40 miles more from the railway it would be practically worthless from a pastoral or agricultural point of view.

350. And the same remarks, I suppose, would apply to that other line?—Yes.

351. And the same remarks would probably apply to that 121st parallel?—Yes. Of course, as you got up towards the railway line the country would improve.