Rabbits

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Mr. A. Mason, continued.

1135. By Mr. Richardson: Before I left the Government did you understand I had recommended the Government to put £20,000 on the Estimates to start a fence down there?—Certainly, that was my recommendation and you advised the Government to do all they possibly could to put that £20,000 on the Estimates.

1136. Were you led to believe it was on the Estimates?—Yes; well, was I not in the Department at the time following the question up, and I thought they were going to carry out the suggestion of yours, but they placed £500 on the Estimates instead of £20,000, and they thought they were wasting money then when they placed the £500 on the Estimates.

(The witness retired.)

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Mr. Samuel Stephens, examined.

1137. By the Chairman: What position do you hold in the Government now?—Inspector of Stock.

1138. For what district?—East Kimberley.

1139. Mr. Craig, the Chief Inspector of Stock, said you would be able to give us certain information on the rabbit question. I think he gave us to understand that because you had lately been in South Australia, and gone into the question there? —I made inquiries from the Government of South Australia, and I got all the Acts and Regulations from the Government, and as far as possible I got all the particulars from the Deputy Surveyor General. I originally came from South Australia.

1140. You were in South Australia?—Yes.

1141. Were you brought into contact with the rabbits in South Australia?—Plenty of them.

1142. In what capacity; private?—Yes; private.

1143. What business were you following in South Australia?—Farming.

1144. Agricultural or pastoral?—Both agricultural and pastoral.

1145. In what part of South Australia?—From the Murray: I was also in the North, at Olena,Tetulpa, Paratoo, and as far as Mount Gibbs across the border into New South Wales.

1146. You see a map of Western Australia (indicating) ?—Yes.

1147. Do you know enough of the latitude of the most Northern of the placed you have mentioned to give us an idea in what latitude they lie. You have had practical experience of?—Between the 31st and 32nd parallel of latitude.

1148. Have you any information of the country on our boundary? I think it is the 130th parallel?—It is rabbit infested right on to the border.

1149. Where is Tetulpa?—It is towards the South.

1150. And Paratoo?—In the same part of the country.

1151. What do the colours on the map which you have there indicate?—Vermin-infested country.

1152. What does the yellow colour mean?—Cancelled and abandoned.

1153. By Mr. Richardson: The colours have nothing to do with the rabbits or rabbit-proof fencing?—No; but the rabbit-infested country is marked with lined across it.

1154. What is that country marked "brown"?—It is open to application. I think some of it has been thrown up on account of the rabbits. Paratoo was thrown up on account of the rabbits.

1155. By Mr. Loton: Paratoo was purchased by the Government from Sir Thomas Elder for £30,000 or £40,000 for settlement. The agriculturists went there. It was not only the rabbits that drove them out, but the country was too dry?—The Government cut it up into blocks.

1156. But the people had to go out of it?—Oh, yes.

1157. The station used to keep 100,000 sheep at one time, and now it will keep nothing: it is not fit for agriculture, it is too dry?—It is not fit for anything now that the rabbits are there.

1158. By the Chairman: That portion on the map nearest to our boundary is marked "rabbit infested"?—Yes.

1159. That would lead us to suppose that the imaginary boundary has not been a check to the rabbits?—No.

1160. And that the rabbits will come across into this country?—Yes.

1161. Can you give us any particulars in regard to the way in which the authorities in South Australia are dealing with the rabbit-infested country?—The Government have spent over £300,000, so the Deputy Surveyor General told me. The Government are not spending any money for the destruction of rabbits now; but they are advancing money to district councils and corporations for the purpose, and outside of those bodies, if half-a-dozen or a dozen squatters form themselves into what is called a "trust," they advance money to them to fence in their runs, and the money has to be paid back at a low rate of interest. I think it is 4 per cent. interest, together with 3 or 4 per cent. of the capital, which has to be paid each year, and in 20 or 21 years the interest and principal are paid to the Government. The