Rabbits

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Mr. J. M. Craig, continued.

1411. But the point I wish to bring out is: Do you not think that if these reports had been laid before members, as they ought to have been laid, according to the reading of the Act, the gravity of this matter would have been brought under their notice much sooner than the present time?—I do not; certainly not; for the simple reason that every discovery made is published in the newspapers. I do not know why these monthly reports were not sent before Parliament, but nothing was concealed. The Minister for Lands (Mr. Throssell) insisted on everything being given to the Press, so that all members had an opportunity of knowing as much as I did. Even statements that were grossly exaggerated, such as four millions of rabbits were crossing the borders, were given to the Press.

1412. Before you go any further, perhaps it may surprise you to hear that I, though I do not speak for the rest of the Commissioners, do not consider there is gross exaggeration about the four million rabbits. I may consider that a wrong phrase to use, but it does not matter whether there were four millions or one million. We have pretty definite evidence that rabbits are there in very huge numbers, so, therefore, personally, I should like you to disabuse your mind of any idea of "exaggeration" as regards this point.—Well, sir, I cannot do that, because I have seen Mr. Ponton; and when a man says there are four million rabbits which have come across, I should like to know on what grounds he makes the statement.

1413. By Mr. Richardson: Nobody supposes that he counted them?—Even approximately the man could not do it; it is absurd.

1414. Are we to understand, Mr Craig, that your rabbit inspector, Mr. White, received a salary of £200 a year, out of which he was supposed to furnish his own means of transit?—He had to furnish everything, and you could not expect a man to do it.

1415. Mr. FORREST : It is a wonder he undertook to do it.

1416. By Hon. R. G. Burges: Does he not get more now?—He gets more now.

1417. By Mr. Wittenoom: Was the Inspector furnished by the Department with the Acts of Parliament?—No, I do not think he was. I only knew lately of the old Act, which had escaped my memory. It was a police Act; the police worked it many years ago, but it became a dead letter.

1418. By Mr. Wittenoom: There was an amending Act?—That was under them too.

1419. By Hon. R. G. Burges: In 1885 there was an Amending Act?—That was long before I had anything to do with it. As far as I remember the main object of the Act was to prevent people keeping rabbits.

1420. By the Chairman: The constable whom you remember has given evidence, and in effect he says that he was absolutely sent down to report upon the rabbits; he was sent away from Albany, and amongst other things he was to report upon specially, was the rabbits. Mr. Richardson asked him :—


Question: And you, of your own knowledge, are perfectly satisfied that there is a very great number of rabbits in Western Australia, or those parts of Western Australia you have travelled in?

Answer: Yes, I am, and I can take anyone and show them rabbits and the places I have seen them. Then again, he was asked:—

Question: Then you are still prepared to substantiate the report you made some time ago? Of course it would be absurd to try and tie you down to actual numbers. But, generally speaking you are prepared to substantiate the report that there are millions of rabbits in that part of the district?

Answer: Yes, by the witnesses I got information from in the Eucla district.

Question: And also from your own actual knowledge?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Did you see enough rabbits to lead you to suppose that the information you got from the various witnesses was absolutely correct?

Answer: Yes, certainly I did.

Mr Richardson then asked him:

Question: Your personal observation quite agrees with the reports you heard?

Answer: Yes. Mr Ryan gave me the information that the day before I arrived three natives were sent out to see how many rabbits they could catch, and they brought in 43 in a few hours, caught on the sandhill just by.

I may say Mr. Ryan, from Eucla, also substantiated the report, but he did not confine himself to saying there were four millions or any definite number, but he said there was a large number? —You see, four million rabbits would cover a few acres of country: men will make random statements and they will back them up. Still, I do not believe it, because Mr. Ponton, who ought to be considered just as reliable an authority, said he travelled, twice within the last seven months, with sheep from Fowler's Bay, and the most he saw in any one day was 20 or 30 rabbits.They must be increasing. Mr. Ponton said that this constable interviewed him and that he informed the constable, as he told me, that the rabbits were increasing. But, when a man tells you he has seen four million rabbits, I cannot believe him.

1421. You cannot tie him down to a definite number?—I take exception to the number.

1422. I am not saying he ought to have made that statement; but he reported to his Department that rabbits were in very great numbers there?—I believe myself that they are increasing rapidly along the coast.

1423. By Mr. Richardson: That is what we want to get acknowledged?—I do not think you ought to take notice of alarming and sensational reports.

1424. The CHAIRMAN: I do not say that we shall take notice of the actual number of rabbits; no sensible man would.