Mr J. W. White,

continued.

these rabbits being on this island to having followed the lake round from the North end. There are only one or two tracks there. These appear to be pretty old.

572. BY Mr Wittenoom: Do you reckon the crossed the lake or went round?—Went round. Last winter the lake was full of water, and now there is six inches. There is nothing to induce them. There is nothing but bare salt.

573. So it would not be necessary to fence the lake?—It would block them for a time, but if they get so thick and they are blocked at either end by fences, they will probably try to get across; but there is nothing to induce them now.

574. By Hon. R. G. Burgess: Is it all good country?—All good country, except at this point (indicated).

575. I mean after they have crossed these lakes?—Yes, all good country right away. There is some splendid pastoral country up there. Round here I have not quite marked it (marked map). The next place where I saw rabbits was at Cardunia. That is going further East. I am merely marking where they were. From Cardunia I went on 15 miles South-West of Queen Victoria Springs. There were rabbits in one or two places in between on the Ponton River, and again about here (indicated).

576. By Mr Loton: Did you see any rabbits?—No; only the fresh droppings and little scratchings. There is no mistaking them. Their droppings are quite distinct from sheep's. They are round and flat. No one could ever mistake them. Then we came back again (indicated route travelled), through Simon Hill. We also found rabbits between Lake Le Page and Lake Yanderlgooda. A rabbit had been killed at Coolgardie. I saw the skin of that, but I cannot find any traces round it or West of it. I sent Larkins round with a block boy. He spent a week there. He can find no trace of rabbits. I am inclined to think that rabbit was taken by sporting men with fox terriers, and brought farther from the East. Still, I found traces of rabbits East of Coolgardie, about eight miles.

577. By Mr Richardson: Unmistakable traces?—Unmistakable traces, but they were about three months old; only one or two droppings. That rabbit may have travelled Westwards, and may have been one of the rabbits they caught, but we could find no other traces about Coolgardie. There were no fresh scratchings when I was there. The scratchings were two or three months old. That is really the most Westerly point (Coolgardie) that we know of their being. I have been endeavouring to try to work, if I can, to the West, and to prevent their getting farther Westwards.

578. By the Chairman: With regard to that red mark at Yerilla, what have you there?—That was information which was supplied to me by the man Geier ; a man I know very well. He wrote to me from Edjudina that, travelling there on the North side of this lake, he saw unmistakable signs of rabbits, and I have not had an opportunity of going up to verify it. That is the spot. I know they have made a mistake in that. I know that is the only salt lake about here. There is no name given to that lake. It is just a broad salt lake. It is a large lake. I was there seven years ago, the first year I went prospecting.

579. By Mr Harper: West-North-West of Queen Victoria Springs?—Yes. I have searched to the West of this track that goes from Esperance from about here. there is no known trace of any rabbits from, say, five miles West of Esperance.

580. By Hon. R. G. Burgess: You could not say certainly there are no rabbits ahead of that?—Yes; I could say certainly no rabbits ahead.

581. Are there any at Esperance?—No; none there. But in that line from that point. The nearest are at Thomas River, on the coast.

582. Are there many there?—No, very few. They have just come here this year, but they have made a hundred miles, I reckon, in the last twelve months.

583. Where is it they are known to be so thick?—Down Eucla and up about——

584. By the Chairman: Will you tell us the two points Westward of which you feel certain there are no rabbits?—Five miles West of Coolgardie, and from thence in a Southerly direction to five miles West of Esperance. That is, taking a direct line with the coast, I have seen no traces, and I am confident there are no traces of them along the coast between these points. I do not mean to say they are at Esperance. There are none within 80 miles of Esperance at the present time along the coast.

585. Is it your opinion that, unless the rabbits at present here are checked, they are already sufficiently numerous to form the nucleus of a devastating pest?—Yes. I assume that in five years the Balladonia and Fraser's Range stations will have to be abandoned unless they are fenced, and rabbits will be fairly thick about Perth at the rate they are travelling.

586. Unless they are stopped?—Yes.

587. Have you in your travel seen anything in the character of the conformation of the country of the feed on that country to lead you to suppose that rabbits will not increase in this State?—No ; I think there is every inducement to increase and to thrive and do well. Both the grass and the herbage and the trees and the bushes and everything are in their favour.

588. Is much of the country about Lake Cowan and Lake Lefroy good pastoral country?—Yes ; there is a lot of real good pastoral country. I know several gentlemen who, if it were not for rabbits, are prepared to take that country up for pastoral purposes. Of course there have been good seasons, but, apart from that, there is good bush for standby; good catchments. One dam near the Norseman was sunk two years age, and has never been dry since; it is only 4ft. 6in., and cattle and sheep have watered at it all the time.

589. Where is that?—Ten miles North-East of Norseman, bordering on where these rabbits were found.