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the Committee that when I was in. England I visited a place in Cornwall, when I saw rabbits as thick as ever I saw them in any place in New Zealand. This place had been neglected, the vermin only destroyed, and the consequence was as I have stated. 203. You consider, then, that vermin is preferable to poisoning?— Yes; if looked after and distributed in a systematic manner, as we have done in the Wairarapa. No one can tell the comfort we experience now. I have no anxiety or fear of rabbits ever overrunning my place. I may say the same of all my neighbours. 204. In other words, the introduction of vermin has relieved you of all anxiety ? —That is so. 205. You say that you used phosphorus in your poisoning ?—Yes. 206. That is not a blood poison ?—No. 207. I was informed by a person in Otago that he picked up poisoned rabbits, and, after taking out the stomachs, fed his pigs with them : do you not think that Mr. Buchanan's theory wj,th regard to the larks is a correct one ? —Yes; it is quite probable that the ferret eating the whole lark, including entrails, may be poisoned; but I do not think the cost is very great. 208. Mr. Lance.] Now, about the position of this land: is it bounded on one side by the sea? —Yes; one part of one property. 209. Mr. Laiunj.] And you believe that the settlers individually can do more for themselves than from Government assistance ? —Yes; of course, there may be times when Government assistance does good, but, taking the whole question from a broad point of view, more good has been done by the direction and energy of the settlers themselves —at any rate, that is so up in our part. 210. Hon. the Chairman.] Do you believe in trapping ?—No ; but, of course, there are extreme cases when it would do good—for instance, Mr. Buchanan traps, but, being a careful man, he would not make the mistake that others have. Ido not go quite so far as to say trapping should be prohibited by law, but I think it should only be resorted to in special cases, and then with extreme care. 211. Mr. Buchanan.] Now, I have a block of bush of about 400 or 500 acres. This place is so thick with underscrub that it is a perfect nest for rabbits. I cannot work it with dogs and gun, and, if poisoning is out'of the question in summer, would your objection to trapping go so far as to stop it in such places ?—I should think the natural enemy the right thing in such a case, aided by poison in winter; but, of course, you may have good reason to trap. I have no doubt that if you do so you are careful who you trust. 212. You are perfectly satisfied that, if your operations were carried on systematically in Canterbury and Otago, it would be successful?—lf the same principle were carried out—that is, by introducing the natural enemy —you must get rid of the rabbit in any particular part of the country, but no doubt a different enemy is suitable to different places. I consider the most important thing this Committee can do is to find out why ferrets appear not to thrive on some places, and what flesh-eating animals will. There are a large variety of forms of life all more or less suited to our requirements, and the great thing is to get the right one in the right place.

Thursday, 15th August, 1889. Mr. Handyside examined. 213. Hon. the Chairman.] What is your name ?—John Stewart Handyside. 214. Will you give this Committee any general knowledge which you possess in regard to the rabhit question ? —I will tell you what I know of the rabbits about where I have been. I have been in the north end of Wairarapa for about seven years. When I first went up there you could only see them in one's or two's ; there were not many then. Now, however, they have been increasing. On the north side of Akiteo River there are not many. If you walk about without dogs you will not see one. If you have dogs you might put up one or two; they are merely there in one's and two's. On the south side, just close to the river itself, there are a few, and as you get further south they are more numerous, and in some places very thick. On the other side of the Aohanga River the rabbits are pretty thick. They had a very favourable season, which, no doubt, has accounted for their increase. 215. What means have been adopted there to keep them in check ?—Well, on the north side the only means used has been by dogs and shooting. 216. No traps been used ? —No. 217. Any of the natural enemy turned out ?—Only in a very limited way : the chief way has been by dogs and shooting. A few ferrets were turned out. 218. Do you think it would be advisable to turn any out?— Yes; I think it would be very beneficial, but I think the land would have to be poisoned as well. 219. You do not think the employment of rabbiters would be the best means ? —Not with dogs or traps, after the natural enemy had been turned out. 220. We have had strong opinions expressed here by witnesses against the use of traps ?—I think those expressions were true. 221. Mr. Lance.] You have not many ferrets, you say. Are you on the boundary of the fence that divides Wairarapa from Hawke's Bay ? —No ; not quite. 222. But you know what has been done there ?—Yes; I am myself interested in some property in the Hawke's Bay side. 223. Has that fence done good work ?—Yes ; I consider the fence has done very good work indeed. I think scarcely a rabbit has got over. 224. The Inspector, in his report of the 3rd May, I think, says that the fence has proved of great protection to the Hawke's Bay side : have you any idea how the rabbits got on the north side ?—The Maoris carried the rabbits up to Porangahau. There are no rabbits on the country where the fence is.