Mr J. W. White, continued.

556. By Mr Loton : And now, the next Northerly and Westerly point?—the next is at Clear Streak.

557. Will you mark that on the chart?—(Marked on the chart.)—Rabbits were reported there by Mr Watson, the manager for Fraser's Range, in January. I saw him as he came back from Queen Victoria Springs. From Fraser's Range I travelled through to Clear Streak, and at that time there was no trace of the rabbits. I told him at the time there were rabbits on Fraser's Range. Within a mile of where men were well-sinking a black brought in a handkerchief of droppings. Watson said it was a strange thing that he had been there for the last two years, and had seen nothing. He came to Esperance in January and he then said that I was right, and that there were rabbits there. They also saw rabbit tracks close to Fraser's Range Station (marked), at a point on the road between Fraser's Range and Simon Hill. He told us that in coming to Esperance in January he saw tracks of rabbits at Clear Streak.

558. By the Chairman: You went to Clear Streak and verified the report?—No, not since Mr Walker came in January. Since then I have been working to the Westward, doing my best to keep the rabbits under. In January I went to Norseman. There are rabbits at Mt. Dean, three miles South of Dundas. The point seems to be out of position on the map; but there are rabbits all the way up there. There is a gap between there (indicating map) and Norseman, and just North of Norseman there are rabbits on that peninsula there. (Witness pointed out other points where rabbits were.) I was there last week.

559. Did you see many of them there?—On last Friday week I caught four in about two hours. They are very thick there.

560. By Mr Loton: What do you call thick?—I could not say as to the numbers, but there are rabbits for twenty miles along, and you see fresh scratchings where they have been every night. If there has been a shower of rain you see fresh scratchings every hundred yards.

561. They are fairly numerous there?—They are fairly numerous there; but the scrub is so dense, and the rabbits lie so close, you cannot get hold of them. In one case we were digging at a hole for a couple of hours and the rabbits were within four yards of us.

562. What I want to get at is the number of rabbits, as near as you can guess.—Coming twenty miles, there might be five hundred, six hundred, or a thousand rabbits.

563. They are practically numerous?—Starting from North, about seven miles North of Norseman, on the South-Ease end of Lake Cowan, rabbits are to be found from thence to the North-East corner of Lake Cowan, a distance of about 50 miles; thence round to North-East corner to Binyarinyinna. If you will allow me, Mr Chairman, I would like to point out that in going through last September there were no rabbits farther round that lake than that point. That is about 12 miles from Binyarinyinna. When I got there in January there were rabbits there at Binyarinyinna.

564. Will you tell us whether there is anything West of that Lake, between the two farther South?—No. I saw nothing West of Binyarinyinna. The Lake has evidently blocked them. During the winter months it was full of water. They would not cross the bare lake, but they go round the edges. That is a point which has been in dispute with me for a long time, and up to the present time I see nothing to indicate there are any rabbits at Widgiemooltha, barring the fact that some were brought there. The stationmaster reported, 1st July, there were rabbits at Binyarinyinna. I could not find any rabbits. I told the stationmaster his report was incorrect. He admitted he had made a mistake, and the rabbits were 12 miles to the East, and he did not know till the man had gone out. After I reported it here, men went out from Widgiemooltha and brought rabbits in. It was reported rabbits were got at Widgiemooltha. I found the rabbits had been brought in a distance of 45 miles to Widgiemooltha; brought from that place; carried in.

565. By Mr Harper: And turned adrift?—That is a question I would rather the Commissioners would not ask me at present. I am trying to find out, and I do not want too much said; but I am rather inclined to think something of the sort did happen. I want to trace it home. It is most difficult to trace them there. However, I have seen no traces there up to the present time. There may be two or three rabbits in a large place like that, and you may not discover them.

566. Of your own knowledge, there is nothing West of that point?—Nothing West of Binyarinyinna. Just one moment. If these reports are made public, I should like that not made public.

567. By the Chairman: This report will not be made public; not at present at all events?—I am trying to find out if it is correct.

568. By Mr Wittenoom: I understand you, it is twelve miles East of Binyarinyinna?—they are at Binyarinyinna now; they are twelve miles East. I find they have come there. There are rabbits about there now.

569. By Mr Loton: What is the description of the country between Binyarinyinna and Widgiemooltha? Is it country they are likely to travel over?—Yes; salt bush country, interspersed with good grass six to eight inches long.

570. Every encouragement for them?—Every encouragement, and, for the first seven miles, any amount of rock holes and plenty of water.

571. By the Chairman: On that particular spot are there many dogs?—A few dogs about Binyarinyinna, and there are plenty of iguanas. They are about the most troublesome enemy the rabbits have. There is no permanent water between ten miles North of Norseman and Binyarinyinna. Then the next place we find any trace of rabbits, going still Westward, is on an island in the lake, about a mile from the Western shore. That is Lake Lefroy. There is a gap between Lake Lefroy and Lake Cowan; a gap of about 20 miles it would be, to go as straight as you could. No doubt the rabbits, having struck Lake Lefroy on the North-East corner, would follow it both Northwards and to the South, and I attribute