1.—5

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•would certainly relieve the larger owners from the risk of being swamped at elections, which is one of the principal things that should be provided for. 1765. Captain BusselL] Is the property in Southland clay-land?— Mostly. 1766. Do rabbits avoid clay-land, or have you as much difficulty with them there as elsewhere? —I had experience of a property at Balclutha which is the heaviest and coldest clay-land I ever saw, and I think that was nearly as rabbity as any country I ever saw. 1767. Can you speak in reference to the fence at Waimata ?—There has not been a rabbit seen in the country since. 1768. If there had not been a fence there would have been rabbits ? —I feel sure there would. 1769. That fence was put up by an elective Board ?—Yes. I have given my evidence regarding elective Boards from an Otago point of view. In different localities there should be different administration.

Thursday, 17th June, 1886. Mr. Fkaser examined. 1770. Hon. the Chairman.] Are you suffering from rabbits in your district ?—Yes, and have been tor years past. 1771. How long have they been with you?--For eight or nine years as a nuisance. They have been there for the last ten or twelve years altogether. 1772. Since then have they increased or diminished?—-The diminution has been of late years only. 1773. In consequence of the steps you have taken ?—Yes. 1774. What steps have you taken ? —Poisoning with phosphorized grain in winter and trapping in summer. 1775. Have you natural enemies?— Not to any great extent. I have over a hundred ferrets at present. I breed them and then turn them out in spring time. I turned out some last year, also the year before last. 1776. Do you think they are of use ? —Yes, they are of use in keeping down the young rabbits. 1777. Do you think it is of use to go to any great expense ?—From my own experience I would not be inclined to do so. I would not do anything of the kind as a leaseholder ; it would be absurd with bad tenure and short leases. 1778. What is the character of your country ?—lt is dry, hilly country, at an elevation of from 600 ft. to 5,000 ft. 1779. Is it impracticable ?—lt is accessible for a horseman all over it. 1780. Have you any complaint to make about persons in your district not killing rabbits in the proper way ? —No. 1781. Do they all work simultaneously in poisoning?—ln the winter time the poisoning is done simultaneously, in accordance with the arrangements entered into with the Inspector. 1782. You do not try poisoning in summer ? —Sometimes, and sometimes it is very successful. 1783. Have you been able to come to any conclusion as to why you were successful at one time and not at another ?—lt depends on the state of the feed and the weather. 1784. When there is plenty of feed they will not take it ?—Not so well. There is a danger in using that method in the autumn, because it is a well-established fact that if you lay poison and the rabbits do not take it well you have very great difficulty with them in the winter to get them to take it. We often delay poisoning for two or three months rather than run the risk of making a failure of it. 1785. How do you account for it?—l attribute it to.the want of moisture. When the grain is dry they will not take it, but if a shower of rain were to come it would freshen it up. 1786. That would be strong proof agiinst the efficacy of poisoned grain in summer ?—lt loses its strength more quickly in summer than ia winter; but even in summer it will keep its strength if properly mixed. 1787. How long would it retain its strength?—So long as it did not get on fire, it might keep a fortnight or ten days. 1788. You heard Mr. McDonald explain the mode of preparing the grain?—My method is as follows : I put the grain into boiling water, and let the whole simmer for about a quarter of an hour, till the grain has absorbed as much water as it can without bursting. Having previously placed in a can of cold water the necessary quantity of stick-phosphorus broken into small pieces, I proceed to shovel the steeped grain into a barrel, placing these pieces of phosphorus on alternate layers of hot grain. When the barrel is about two-thirds full the top is screwed on, and the barrel is rolled forwards and backwards on skids, slowly, and with a jerky motion. Ido not dissolve the phosphorus—the heat of the grain in the barrel suffices to do that—and, the top being air-tight, there is no loss. The mixture should remain in the barrel for thirty hours at least. 1789. Is there no danger in handling the phosphorus in that way?—lf you break it outside the water it will burn your hand, but not if you break it under the water. My rabbiters say that the poison mixed by my plan is the deadliest they have ever used. 1790. In your district have public meetings been held in order to arrange beforehand for simultaneous poisoning? —It was so formerly, but not this year. We carried out the same arrangement that was come to last year, when a certain day was fixed to begin upon. This year it was supposed to be advisable to put off the operations till a later date. 1791. Do you think it right that such meetings should be held to get the settlers to agree ? —I think it is better. Ido not think the meetings should be held to direct the Inspector as to when the poisoning should begin, but by way of co-operating with the Inspector. The Inspector should have the ultimate voice in deciding whether that date was suitable or not. Witness handed in certain resolutions. (See Appendix.)