15

1.—5

241. The Chairman^] Then you are not able to fatten wethers ?—No; that period of fattening sheep on unimproved lands is quite past, solely iv consequence of these rabbits. My run, I may add, is patched with a good deal of bush, and this makes it more difficult for me to deal with the question. 242. Do you mean scrub along the river banks ? —No ; bush on the hills. 243. Mr. Andrew.] What acreage is there of bush on your land? —2,500 acres perhaps. 244. On the run ?—Tes; that is about the extent. I may explain that when rabbits are harassed on the open ground they take refuge in the bushes. 245. The Chairman.] Has your yield of wool decreased ?—Tes; very materially. 246. What percentage have you lost in consequence of the rabbits ? —I have not gone into the matter per pound. 247. Mr. Andrew.] Can you tell us the average decrease per fleece?—l have the papers at home by which I could pretty well estimate the decrease. 248. Do you shear in grease or washed ? —Both. 249. Then it is more difficult to estimate ?—Tes. 250. The Chairman.] Tou have not thought it necessary to decrease your stock ?—That has been done by the destruction of lambs. I have in consequence of the loss at lambing time had to purchase to make up deficiencies. 251. Do you think your yield of wool has fallen 20 per cent.?—Tes, fully. 252. Mr. W. Wood.] To get at that, you must calculate upon a fixed number of sheep ?—Tes. 253. In consequence of the rabbits, then, there has been a diminution upon the amount of wool obtained from a fixed number of sheep ? —Tes ; I estimate the fall at 20 per cent. 254. The Chairman.] What do you estimate the decrease to be in consequence of the lowering of the carrying capacity of the run ?—That would be an increasing percentage; and if the nuisance be not abated, I am certain that the rabbits will drive sheep off the run altogether if some steps be not taken to keep them under. I say this from my own experience, and from what I have learned from other sources. 255. Do you think that, with the aid of legislation, freeholders and runholders outside the hundreds would be able to keep the rabbit nuisance down at their own instance ?—I have no doubt it would be possible if the matter is made compulsory. I think, at the same time, it is perfectly clear that no one individual could possibly keep his run clear if his neighbours are allowed to keep a nursery for rabbits outside his boundary. 256. Tou think then that legislation is absolutely necessary ? —Absolutely necessary. 257. And that if legislation were provided, then that pastoral tenants and freeholders would be able to keep rabbits down without outside assistance ? —I think they could do it if there were compulsory legislation. It would be to their interest to do so, because if provision were made in the Bill that the land might be entered upon, and the work done by others at their expense, they would see that it would be much less costly to do it themselves. Besides, it is necessary for the interests of the country that something should be done. 258. For the preservation of the value of the Crown lands in the country ?—Tes ; the Government, no doubt, have a very large interest in this question—an immense interest. And I would point out that they have great responsibilities, because the freehold frontages to the rivers are the property of the Government, and upon these river frontages the rabbits breed in immense numbers ; they are complete nurseries for them. If the rabbits, then, are allowed to breed here, the neighbouring runs will never be free from the pest. The same remark applies to many Government reserves in the centres of bushes, and lands of the Crown on the tops of hills. 259. Do you think that in any legislation provision should be made for levying rates and carrying out the compulsory clauses on Crown lands as well as on private lands ? —Tes; absolutely essential. 260. If Crown land were excepted, it would form a harbour for the rabbits ?—Tes. 261. Tou are well acquainted with the pastoral lands of Southland and the system of leasing. Are you of opinion that unless the rabbit nuisance is suppressed, the value of these lands when the leases fall in price, or six years hence, will be much deteriorated, and lower rents obtainable ? —Tes; it is perfectly clear to me that unless steps be taken to eradicate the rabbits, and that speedily, the waste lands of the Crowrn in Southland will be of very little value at the expiration of the present leases. And I would say that it is not to be expected that the present holders will go to an enormous expense in the matter when they know that their term of occupancy will be up in a short time. 262. It has been suggested that the difficulty may be got rid of by subdividing the runs so as to let them in blocks of, say, 5,000 acres or less, by which means families or individuals who get these smaller blocks will, without difficulty, be able to clear them of rabbits and pay rent as well. What do you think of such a scheme ?—Of course the success of such a plan resolves itself into a question of capital. If an individual takes up a small block infected with rabbits, has to clear it of rabbits, put up buildings and fences, buy stock, and pay rent, his success depends upon his capital. If he has not, I might say, considerable capital, he will not be able to get on. 263. Do you think that if this nuisance be not materially abated before the leases are out, the Government will be able to get tenants ?—I think it will be very difficult indeed. 264. People will not be inclined to pay an increased rental ?—Certainly not. 265. Mr. Andrew.] It would hardly pay to hold five hundred acres, would it ?—No ; people could not be expected to hold small lots of back country without a frontage. 266. The Chairman.] Tou have interested yourself in preparing a draft Bill for dealing with the rabbit nuisance ? —Tes ; it was drafted by Mr. Macdonald and myself. 267. The amount of rate is proposed to be limited to a farthing per acre on freehold land, and one-eighth of a penny upon leasehold. Do you think that is sufficient to be of practical use ? —■ Perhaps it is not. I may say that our idea was merely to levy sufficient to establish machinery to carry out compulsory measures, not to provide means for killing the rabbits; because wo believed that if compulsory measures were authorized, people would at once take steps to kill off the rabbits. We gathered that from the Tasmauian and South Australian Acts.