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262. Will you state the probable cost of clearing these Crown lands of scrub?— About 15s. per acre. 263. Mr. Anderson.] Are you of opinion that the Government should continue to keep on the Inspectors ?—Yes ; I think it would be an auxiliary. Ido not think the settlers could do it themselves. 264. Do you think they will ever get the pest down ?—No ; I do not, entirely. 265. Mr. Lawry.] Are you of opinion that the formation of a Eabbit Board would have the effect of keeping down the rabbits in this Crown lands country ? —I do not think so. 266. You say they are increasing on these Crown lands. They are only poisoning once a year :is that, in your opinion, sufficient ?—No ; the thing wants following up. If you only poison once a year and do nothing else you will soon be overrun with rabbits. 267. Are we to understand that there is no provision compelling the Government to keep down rabbits on these Crown lands ?—I believe that is the case. 268. In your opinion, have the Government taken the same precaution as the ordinary settler ? —No ; they fail to follow up after poisoning. 269. Mr. Anderson.] Plave you ever known instances where ferrets have attacked young lambs ? —No; I have not.

Thuksday, 15th August, 1889. Mr. MaoEae examined. 270. lion the Chairman. ] What is youi- name ? —MacEae. 271. Can you give this Committee any information about the rabbits in your district?— 272. First of all, what part are J xou residing at ?—At Bowland's, belonging to Mr. Levin. 273. What extent of property is that ?—About 13,000 acres. 274. How long have you been there ? —About sixteen months. 275. Were there many rabbits when you first went there ?—Yes ; there were a great many. 276. In your opinion, are they increasing or decreasing?—l fancy they are much about the same as when I first went there —that is, taking the season before poisoning—now they are considerably less. 277. What means are you adopting to keep them down? —Having the country thoroughly poisoned, and then following up with dogs and trapping. 278. Have you turned out any of the natural enemy?—No; none lately. There were a few ferrets turned out some time ago, but not many. 279. Do you consider that the employment of rabbiters is preferable to the natural enemy ? — No; I should not say so. 280. Would you prefer the natural enemy yourself ?—Yes ; most certainly. 281. Then/ why have not the natural enemy been used?—l do not exactly know ; perhaps the expense. With the exception of a few ferrets, none have been turned out. 282. The trapping would tend to destroy the ferrets, would it not? —Yes, to a certain extent it would. 283. Then, you depend principally upon poisoning and following up with dogs afterwards ?— Yes. 284. Mr. Lance.] The Government are about stopping the breeding of ferrets this year :do you think it would be to the benefit of the colony if the breeding was encouraged ? —Yes ; providing that stoats were turned out as well in the country. That would, lam sure, be advantageous to the colony. 285. How has the Eabbit Act worked with you generally ?—lt has acted fairly well. 286. Do the Inspectors come round and visit your property ?—Yes. 287. Do they tell you what you are to do?—No; they have not interfered with me. I always keep on a sufficient number of men, and when I knock them off I go on with the usual poisoning. 288. To what do you attribute the increase of rabbits in the W 7airarapa?—To the dry season, there being little or no rain, and, in consequence, none of the young rabbits have been drowned. 289. If you had had a number of ferrets turned out, do you think you would have had that increase ?—They certainly would help, but I am not so much in favour of ferrets as of stoats and weasels. 290. Have you this disease known as the bladder-worm ?—Yes ; I have seen it myself on a few odd rabbits, but I cannot say it has done much good. 291. Mr. Buchanan.] I understand you have had some experience with rabbits before you came to Bowland's? —Yes; at Akiteo, and also in Otago. 292. Mr. Lance.] What part of Otago?—The Manuherikia district. 293. Mr. Buchanan.] Do you consider that the work of inspection is not being carried on with sufficient stringency? —I do not think it is. 294. Do you consider that that is owing to there being an insufficient number of Inspectors, or that the Inspectors have not got thoroughly hold of the idea of what really is being carried out ?— There is a difference of opinion about it. Whether it is that they do not go over the country often enough or not I cannot say. You will not find three people holding the same ideas. Some poison, and do not employ men to follow the work up, and where wire netting is not used as a boundaryfence rabbits are bound to come into the country you have cleared. 295. In other words, in your opinion, the Act is not put into operation with sufficient stringency? —Yes ; that is my opinion. 296. During last summer, are you of opinion that the Inspectors should have taken some action against those persons who did nothing at all ?—Yes, certainly ; I think they ought to have, 4—l 11.