Rabbits

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Mr. H. S. King, continued.

352. After they crossed the railway line and went North, can you give me any information about that country as regards its configuration for the purposes of fencing?—We will say that for the first 50 miles North of Burracoppin there are patches of fair pastoral country, and it has nearly all been taken up, and has been for years and years.

353. By Hon. R. G. Burges: And not settled?—Oh, yes; a lot of small sheep farmers.

354. Hon. R. G. Burges: You will have to go further East than that.

355. By the Chairman: To the East of that line is the country taken up?—I do not think there is anything to the East of Lake Deborah. Lukin had some land in that country, which he had some sheep on.

356. By Mr. D. Forrest: How far off is Deborah?—About 180 miles.

357. By the Chairman: You would not like to give us information further North than about 50 miles from a railway? — Yes. I have been on this one (indicated). After you get out, say, 50 miles from a railway, going a few miles to the West, it is practically worthless. It is sand plain and thicket nearly beyond the Mount Churchman.

358. Do you know the class of country between Boorabbin and Broad Arrow, on that blue line?—Boorabbin and Goongarri?

359. Goongarri is at the junction there?—The country, till you get, we will say, to a point West of Dunnsville, that is, the Wealth of Nations, would be undulating country, with a great deal of sand plain and belts of gum and thicket.

360. Plenty of timber for fencing along that line?—Yes; I think you could depend upon belts of timber all along that.

361. Supposing a fence were erected along that line, would it be much crossed by prospectors?—No; you have no interference until you come close to the Carnage mine.

362. Then you might expect it?—You might expect it. The fringe, which is of fairly decent country, comes pretty well down like this.

363. That is auriferous country?—Auriferous country, and not bad grazing country at certain times.

364. Do you know anything of that part of the line from Goongarrie to Edjudinn?—I have travelled it in a good many places.

365. What country is that?—There is no tough country about it; a good deal of thicket belts of gum, and some lakes. Some of the country would be very thick and fairly open.

366. Do you think that if a fence were erected from Starvation Cove to Burracoppin, and then North, that would leave out (that is, leaving outside the fence and liable to become infested by rabbits) a great deal or any quantity of good country sufficient for pastoral occupation?—No.

367. Of course it is a big question, leaving out country from that line of fence right away for Eucla?—This would be the only part you would leave out; say a patch o country 80 miles by 50 with Burracoppin in the South-West corner.

368.Do you know the country about Eucla at all?—No; I have never been there at all.

369. Do you know the country about Esperance?—Not intimately. I have been in that country.

370. What is your opinion of it with regard to its pastoral or agricultural capabilities?—Well, from what I have seen of the country I should think the agricultural capabilities were not much; but that there would be patches of swamp land not far from the coast that might be intensely cultivated.

371. These would be small patches that should be rabbit-proof fenced "on their own"?—Yes.

372. Generally speaking, are there large areas of fine pastoral country there?—Certainly not.

373. By Hon R. G. Burges: What about those mallee patches?—I do not consider they are first-class agricultural land.

374. By the Chairman: They are only comparatively small areas which could be rabbit-proofed without very much expenditure of money?—Yes. With regard to that Esperance country, I think they would get information from Mr. Brockman about that.

375. By. Mr. Richardson: Before you pass away from that line of fence you were speaking about, about starvation Cove and up by Burracoppin, do you know of the existence of any country which in any way would be called sand-drift country, where the sand would be likely to drift and bury the fence or anything of that sort?—Well, no; not unless it were close to the coast.

376. I mean away from the coast?—No. From what I have seen of that sand plain there is nothing much to drift.

377. It is always more or less covered with vegetation?—Yes.

378. By Hon. R. G. Burges: Have you seen any country, say within 400 miles, likely to be sand drift and to block a fence?—No.

379. You have been over a lot of this country around Murchison. Have you ever seen any country you think the sand would drift on and cover the fence up and make it useless?—No, I have not.

380. How far North have you been?—I have been as far North as Fortescue. It might be so on the coast; that I cannot say.

381. Hon. R. G. Burges: Pretty well where that fence could come, I mean.