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there are most numerous, while in the south we are comparatively free. Now, with regard to the disease. It is pretty well everywhere, both north and south, in the Wairarapa. In the evidence I gave last year on this subject—some of the Committee may perhaps remember —I pointed out that in North America and some other parts of the world the rabbits were cleared by this disease. Dr. Hector first told me of it, after I called his attention to the disease in the Wairarapa, and he agreed that it was the same as the American disease. In February last millions of jack-rabbits were crossing the frozen Snake River into Oregon. But the result would be that the disease would sweep them off. Every now and then the disease breaks out. In North America it is carried about by wolves and foxes. If the Committee remember, the Hon. Randall Johnson, w Then Chairman of the last Eabbit Committee, said that it had been proposed to introduce the civet-cat and ground-wolf, but I do not think it would be judicious. I would ask that this paper upon the question [produced], which was read before the Wellington Philosophical Society last year, should be incorporated in my evidence which has not been printed yet. As to the exterminating powers of the disease, it does not exterminate. I never claimed that it did. It acts very slowly, but it is of great assistance after you have poisoned and turned out the natural enemy. It keeps the minimum at its minimum, and checks the rabbit breeding up again so quickly. There is something I should like to say as to the danger of sheep getting this disease (bladder-worm). Sheep do not carry this disease, but sheep-fluke, or rot, sometimes decimates the rabbit. After returning from Napier, quite lately, I should like to record what I saw on Mr. Ormond's and Mr. Williams's properties there. I saw the sheepyards full of sturdied sheep. There are no rabbits, bear in mind, in the vicinity of Hastings. The men were getting the sheep in by the cart-load, and the yards were covered with the struggling sheep. Had other causes not been prevalent in Napier, it might have been said this sheep disease came from the rabbits; but there are none in the vicinity as yet. I do not. know what caused this sheep disease in Napier at the present time, but there are no rabbits there. But I found in the Hawke's Bay Province generally that their boasted rabbit-fence was almost useless. Upon every large run away from Hastings there were rabbits. I would also say that, unless properly worked, the bladder-worm (it is quite wrong to call it fluke) does not appear to act. In North Wairarapa the bladder-worm is everywhere. I was speaking to a witness, Mr. MacBae, who gave his evidence here. I asked him if he found it any good, and he replied, "That it killed a few, but it was not much good." That is the general opinion everywhere. But if people carried out the same measures as I did. they would find the great benefit of the disease, and that they would get the upper hand of the rabbits. I wish to state that, in my opinion, the Eabbit Inspectors do a very great deal of harm. One of them says that wire fencing should be made a legal fence. Some of the Inspectors insist that traps should be used, and some settlers are actually refusing to do so. One of the Inspectors —the chief —is now traversing the measures I took which were so successful in getting down the nuisance. I should also say these two things : There is no power whatever to prevent every acre of land in New Zealand passing under the rabbits' feet. I believe every acre must be visited sooner or later. I would also say that rabbit-fences, in my opinion, do a great deal of harm, more especially in a badly-infested district. 320. You object to traps ? —Yes. 321. You say that the Inspectors in some cases approve of them?—Yes. 322. Have they not the power to say so ?—If a sheep-farmer does not do as they foolishly wish he is summoned. The Inspectors require checking locally, which our voluntary Eabbit Board did. So that it follows that upon a proper method of local government depends rabbit suppression. This I have always urged upon my fellow settlers' attention. 323. Is there any case that you are aware of where a sheep-farmer has been summoned?—I have not heard of one yet for not using traps. He is summoned on the broad grounds that the rabbits are cot put down. 324. After you turned oat the natural enemy, you say, you hunt with dogs?—Yes. 325. And shoot?—Yes. 326. Do you think the rabbiters shoot the natural enemy?—Ferrets, stoats, and weasels do not show themselves much in the daytime. As to killing, it is a rather difficult thing to take a ferret out of a trap. It is far easier to knock him on the head and kill him : that is more often done than the ferret shot. The dogs sometimes kill a stray ferret, but I do not mind that. 327. One reason of your hunting is distributing this disease ? —Entirely so; and also keeping the pest dow rn. 328. Have you known of any case where the natural enemy has been poisoned by eating dead rabbits ? —A few ferrets may have been so poisoned, but very few; more die from distemper. 329. It was stated here that the ferret may be poisoned by eating birds and cats, whereas they might eat rabbits which were not affected except in the stomach ?—Yes ; but I have not a very great deal of faith in ferrets; they are most useful, but not to be entirely relied upon. We find very few on the run ; they die of distemper. I am always turning them out. 330. Have you turned out stoats and weasels? —No ; but Mr. Eiddiford did. 331. Do they increase ?—Well, I could not say. They have been found thirty or forty miles from where they were let out, but none have been found in my neighbourhood. In my immediate neighbourhood we reduced the pest without the aid of stoats and weasels. 332. Do you pin your faith to the bladder-worm ?—No, I do not. I believe in the five measures I have already told you—the establishment of proper Eabbit Boards, turning out natural enemies, hunting all the year round, poisoning, and the distribution of the disease. 333. Does not Professor Thomas say that this disease is not communicable through ferrets? ■I do not think so. I want to get that fact myself. The experiments, I think, were not complete. I believe that the ferret does distribute the worm. It is a wormy animal. 334. You are aware that Dr. Hector took over one of these diseased rabbits ?—Yes; lam aware what the Sydney Conference decided about it. The result of that Conference wa3 very poor indeed.