Mr. G. Gardner, continued.

473. I mean to say that if there was a large number of rabbits in the district he, by allowing the does heavy with young to go, and the young ones to escape, would not make any appreciable difference in the district?—Not much.

474. By Mr. Richardson: They would not bother about the young or the does if they were plentiful, but only when they became scarce?—Yes. I knew a man who had whole runs dug out at an awful expense.

475. By Hon. R. G. Burges: On a very large estate too?—Yes; Mt. Elephant.

476. By the Chairman: What do you think the effect of a rabbit incursion to the agricultural districts would mean?—I do not think they would increase so much in the agricultural country here.

477. Why?—Because you have a population to keep them down.

478. By Mr. Richardson: Where the population is thick, you mean?—Yes; but in the back country there would be no stopping it.

479. By the Chairman: And you would give the same answer in regard to viticulturists?—It would be terrible.

480. More than to agriculturists?—Yes.

481. There would be no less population where vineyards were than where farms were?—Of course if they got the wire meshes and looked after them it would be all right, but some do not.

482. By Mr. Richardson: What the witness says is what the rabbit would do to agriculturists, but, being more numerous, the agriculturists would keep the rabbits down?—I have seen small holders in a terrible state.

483. Rabbits are worse to deal with in a rather poor country?—Yes.

484. By the Chairman: You know something about the pastoral country. What effect would a rabbit incursion have on the pastoral industry?—On the pastoral industry?

485. What effect would a rabbit incursion have on the pastoral industry as a whole?—I think it would ruin the pastoral industry. It is poor now in the country, and people do not know what a curse the rabbits are.

486. If the pastoral districts became greatly infested would it tend to the abandonment of holdings, and this affect the revenue of the State?—I am quite sure it would.

487. In your experience on the other side have you known of considerable areas of pastoral country thrown on the hands of the State?—Between Bourke and Mt. Brown the country is entirely useless.

488. It has been thrown up by the pastoral tenants?—Yes.

489. Absolutely abandoned?—Absolutely abandoned.

490. By Mr. Richardson: Is it fairly good pastoral country?—It was good herbage country, and it is now worthless.

491. And it was excellent country?—It was excellent country. I know of one station by the name of Yallock, which was sold for £1,500, and which must have cost from £20,000 to £30,000; it was simply eaten up by rabbits and dingoes.

492. What do you think is the first step that ought to be taken in this State to prevent the incursion of rabbits reaching the settled parts?—The only one thing is to fence. I have seen the benefit of it on the Queensland border.

493. And you feel quite certain a fence is the best method to employ?—It is the only one.

494. In the first instance?—Yes.

495. By Mr. Richardson: Have you seen any proof of its success in Queensland?—Yes, on the border; but they had boundary riders all along the fence to watch the gates.

496. By Mr. Forrest: How many fences were there?—They have one boundary fence that I know of; it runs straight across in a North-Easterly direction.

497. By Hon. R. G. Burges: How many boundary riders have they?—I suppose they would have a man to every twenty miles; he would go back and forth every day.

498. By the Chairman: What is your opinion of the methods that have been adopted by the Western Australian Government up to the present time to cope with these animals? I may say the method employed is the sending out of parties to try and exterminate the various colonies of rabbits where they come across the border. What do you think of the efficacy or otherwise of the method? I think it is almost throwing money away; it only drives the rabbits over the country, scattering them.

499. How do you answer the following question: Do you think that the parties sent out by the Government are worth the money they cost the Government?—I think they are doing more harm than good; the rabbits begin to travel and find breeding grounds.

500. You say that, before adopting any other methods of extermination, you consider a fence indispensable?—Certainly, there is no doubt about it.

501. Have you had any experience of disease amongst rabbits?—I have seen no disease amongst them other than worms.

502. Tape worms?—Yes.

503. Does that disease prove fatal to them?—No.

504. What is your opinion of State-subsidised trapping and paying bonuses for scalping?—That has been carried on a great deal in New South Wales, but I do not think it has been successful.