Mr. A. Mason, continued,

1061 All the way? —All the way : just now and again I saw them. They were not plentiful except Eucla where there are any amount.

1062. You saw none farther West than Twilight Cove? —None farther West than Twilight Cove; between Twilight Cove and Eucla.

1063. By Mr. Richardson; What is the farthest North you saw rabbit? — Just under the cliffs; I do not suppose more than ten or twelve miles North of the coast.

1064 And there were no rabbits farther North than that anywhere? —No, not a rabbit, and I travelled all through the country every day for some months, and never saw a rabbit.

1065. By the Chairman: At this particular time , In 1896. rabbit were fairly numerous at Eucla? —Any amount there.

1066. How far were they fairly numerous to the Westward? —There were not many West of Eucla.

1067.Very few? —Any amount on the sandhills.

1068. Say ten miles this side of Eucla? —You might see odd ones, but very few . You might see one of two scuttling away as you drove rode past; but of course there may have been hundreds I did not see. You could see them scuttling away in each direction.

1069. By Mr. Richardson; that was in 1896? —Yes.

1070.By the Chairman: Is your opinion, as regard this magnificent pastoral country, corroborated by anyone? —Well I think Sir John Forrest corroborates my opinion to a certain extent in what he wrote in 1871; and moreover Delisser, and one or two others, quite agree with what I say about the country. There is no doubt it is a most magnificent country. There are so many different sorts of feed and everything else, and the only thing is the want of water. The place is waterless, and that is the only drawback to the country.

1071. By Mr. Forrest: Is it high land? —About three hundred feet.

1072.By the Chairman: this is what Sir John Forrest describes the country to the Northward as being "beautifully grassed downs "? —I quite verify what Sir John Forrest says, and I went 150 miles beyond him. I found the country generally similar right up to Queen Victoria Springs.

1073. You made certain recommendations to the Government  ? —Yes.

1074 Do you consider that if these recommendation had been acted on, this magnificent stretch of pastoral country would have been saved from devastation by rabbits? —I absolutely think it would have been saved. The Government took the matter in such a casual way; they did believe rabbits were here. But this stretch of country might have been saved if the Government had done as I recommended in 1896. I do not say it would have been, but I think it could have been.

1075. And, therefore, if the occupation of this country is lost to the State, that must be a tremendous loss to our national assets? —There is not the least doubt about it. This will be one of the biggest assets in the colony if they can get water there. I reckon that on this country they could run five million sheep , or twice as many and over, than there are in the State at the present time.

1076. By Hon R G Burges: How about droughts? —I am saying , if they had water; that is artesian water, Which I absolutely believe they could get there.

1077. Artesian water would not water the land , would it? —You could get one million acres of land there, put pipes on it and water all the sheep around the country; as many as you liked.

1078. By Mr. Forrest: You think artesian water could be got there ? —Yes; that is the only thing.

1079 By Hon R. G. Burges: What would be the good of watering the sheep if you could not water the grass? —You have the grass there.

1080. At all seasons? —Salt bush will always last two or three .years. Useless there is a terrible drought, the grass and everything else will last.

1081. By Mr. Loton: Was it a drought season when you travelled through? —It was just an average season that is all . At Eucla the rainfall was just the same as it always is, and to Eyre's Sand Patch.

1082. By the Chairman: To bring out this point quite clearly, I see that in your report you say: "In conclusion, I beg to suggest to the Government the necessity of doing its utmost to protect about thirty million of acres of some of the finest pastoral and agricultural country in the world from the inroads of the dreadful rabbit pest"? —Yes.

1083. You are not an officer of the Government at present? —No; I am not.

1084. You think that the failure to act on your suggestion has been most prejudicial to the interest of the State? —There is not the slightest doubt about it ; I quite consider that.

1085. Have you any private opinion that will go further to emphasise that point? —Well, I cannot say, because, as you know, I have to a certain extent, lost the run of the subject. Rabbits have since then come so much farther to the Westward than they were.

1086 I do not ask you that; but do you consider it was a national calamity that steps were not taken to preserve this country for useful occupation? —I certainly do. Without any prejudices whatever .I absolutely say I consider it was a national calamity that this country should be lost, a country which might have been saved if the Government had followed my suggestion. But the Government did not follow my suggestion, though a fence could have been put up for a few thousand pounds.