1210. 1883, it took 16 acres. In 1888 (that is in five years) it took 254 acres. Mr Waite is not only manager and part owner, but he is an Australian authority on pastoral matters?---Yes; undoubtedly he is.

1211. One of the greatest authorities in Australia. He is asked, To what do you attribute this tremendous increase? and his reply is, To rabbits and dogs?---Yes. There is no doubt Mr. Waite is an authority. He would be able to give the exact particulars, because he was manager there for years, and part owner. There is no doubt the rabbits were only just beginning to commence in 1883. My statement of five acres would be a good deal out.

1212. What was the experience of South Australia with regard to subsidising scalp hunters and rabbiters?---Their experience was that , instead of checking the rabbits, the rabbits were increasing, and getting over a larger track of country. The idea was that when they were paying for scalps the rabbiters used---in fact Mr Smith told me the other day it was a well-known fact they used to let the does heavy in young go, and the young ones, and, although they could not prove it, they had pretty good evidence that the does, heavy in young, were carried sometimes several miles and let go to breed. Instead of being a check on the rabbits, it was really encouraging people to breed them. That is why the South Australian Government------

1213. They were interested in the survival of the rabbits?---Yes.

1214. I see from Mr. Waite's evidence here before me, they had 140,000 sheep on this place, and five years afterwards, at the time he gave his evidence, they had absolutely no stock on it all day; they were simply paying all the rent on it so that they could claim from the Government for the improvements they put on the place/---I know they were just about eaten out; I did not know they had absolutely none.

1215. Very well, Mr. Stephens; I do not know that you have been able to give us a great deal of information we had not before, but we called you at the request of the Chief Inspector of stock, and if there are any matters he has spoken to you about that you would wish to elucidate or or bring before us, we shall be glad to hear them ?---There is one thing, sir, I would like to state . Of course the survey Department has the dealing with all rabbits and dogs; all vermin of that kind; and I told the deputy Surveyor General the Government her were thinking of erecting a fence from the sea coast inland, and asked him what he thought. He said he thought it was the only thing could possibly do now to check the rabbits, and, if it was to be done, the sooner the fence was erected the better.

1216. That was the opinion of the authorities in South Australia?---Yes.

1217. Expressed through the head of the department that managed this affair?---Yes. There was one little thing he suggested to me. He said, If running a trunk line through, when you finish make an 'L.' The rabbits, when they come down here, would be sure to run up the fence. You could have different little places, kind of catch yards for them, if you liked. You would bound to have a boundary rider. This 'L' would check the rabbits from coming round the corner of the fence." He gave all the Acts and what they are doing, their mode of poisoning and destroying. Of course, they assist the people with poison, and give all the assistance they can, at cost price. The Government are really spending no money, he told me, at the present time on the destruction, except lending to district councils and any corporate body; or, if there is no district council or corporate body, the settlers form themselves into a trust, so that the Government may have a guarantee for the money to be returned; and i understand they do not pass any money before part of the fence is put up, and it has to be passed by an inspector.

1218. Would your knowledge of the action of the South Australian authorities in this rabbit matter lead you to suppose that, if they were in what we may call the same fortunate position which the settled parts of the State are in, they would be only too glad to erect a fence at the public cost?---Yes; to check the rabbits.

1219. By Mr. Richards; Put it this way: If South Australia, by any retrospective history, could bring herself back into our position now, do you think the Government would show any hesitation or any unwillingness to erect a barrier fence?---I do not think so; that is if they got ahead of the rabbits, the same as you are now.

1220. Taking our position, as it is now?---I do not think so. There is no doubt they would erect the fence.

1221. In Queensland is the rabbit-proof fence keeping the rabbits out, or are the rabbits increasing there? Where have the rabbits got through?---They may have got through before the was put up. When you get up into the North there is an angle in the boundary. A portion, for twenty miles, was left without a fence, and the rabbits came in by tens of thousands.

1222. By Mr. Loton: You told us, in the former part of your evidence, that for about one hundred miles East beyond the Burra the rabbits were very bad? Yes.

1223. And the Government were not doing anything in the way of checking them---No.

1224. What is the state of affairs in that particular part of the country where the Government are not doing anything? Have the people fenced for themselves? - In some cases they have, and in other cases they have not. The great complaint is from the farmers.

1225. You do not know exactly the state of the country in regard to carrying capabilities? - No; not at the present time.

1226. By the Chairman: I believe that in south Australia a great extent of country has been abandoned by the original lessee on account of the rabbit invasion? - Yes.

1227. Do you know whether the south Australian Government have taken any steps to clean the country? - No; they are not taking any steps, according to what I have been told.