I.—ll

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955. Would it not come expensive on the small owners ?—They could keep their rabbits down. I dare say it would be a hardship in some cases. Witness : I would like to refer to clause 18 of the Babbit Nuisance Act 1882 Amendment Act. The difficulty is, the Board take over the administration, but at the same time it is stated in that clause that the powers of the Chief Inspector are not interfered with, and by that section he may be held responsible for the state of the rabbits in such district. In one instance I know of rabbits having increased since the Babbit Board was formed. What action should be taken in such circumstances ? 956. Hon. the Chairman.] What time?— About three years. 957. That is, during the last three years the rabbits have increased?— Yes. 958. Is that district under your charge ?—No ; I spoke of it because a part of this district will shortly be under a Rabbit Board.

Wednesday, 4th Septembee, 1889. Eichaed Hull examined on oath. 959. Mr. Duncan.} What state was Duncan's land in when you served the notice on Ross ?— I did not see any rabbits, but saw where they had been. I saw where he had been trapping and working, and Duncan told me himself that he and his boys were always doing something. When I was there his boy was working. I did not see any rabbits. 960. What time of the day was it when you were there—the middle of the day or evening ?— I think it was between 11 o'clock and 3 o'clock. 961. Was the crop growing at this time. I mean, was it standing up sufficiently to be a cover to rabbits ? —No, not at this corner. 962. Hon. Mr. Walker.] What date was this?—ln March, I think. 963. Mr. Dodson.] But there were only turnips there?— Yes ; when I took action in April the other crop was cut and part destroyed. 964. Hon. the Chairman.] What crop was it that had been eaten ?—Oats. 965. Mr. Duncan.] In your opinion, do you think Duncan did what was fair in keeping his part of the land clear ? —Yes; I think he had done everything up to this time, but, of course, I could not say what he had done previously. There was abundance of evidence that he had been rabbiting. If I had not been sure on this point he would have been served the same as Ross. 966. Mr. McKenzie.] What time did you fix for poisoning?— The Ist June. 967. Did Duncan poison all his land? —Yes: not all at first. 968. When did he poison the rest ?—He poisoned the last in the beginning of J Lily. The reason he gave me for this was that this particular piece of land had sheep on it, but no rabbits. He had finished poisoning the whole of his land before Ross had finished his. 969. Would that not apply to all the other settlers ?—You must bear in mind that the portion that Duncan did not poison at first was in cultivation. 970. This was the exact place where Ross was told to keep down his rabbits ? —Just so. 971. Mr. Duncan.] If you had been told that Ross, with Duncan, had taken no steps before you served notice on him, would that have altered the opinion you have formed?—lf I had seen that Duncan had not been at work I should have served him the same; but when I went on his land I saw every evidence of work having been done. There were the marks of traps, and other indications, which convinced me that work in keeping down the rabbits was going on. 972. Was there any such evidence on Ross's place? —No.

Tuesday, 10th Septembeb, 1889. Edmund Clifton, Babbit Inspector, examined. 973. Mr. Lance.] I want to ask you, Mr. Clifton, about this petition of Doris's. He says that his diary, which was sent in to the Sub-Inspector, has been altered, and Quarterly's name has been mentioned in connection with it : do you know anything of this ?—No. 974. Have you ever heard anything of it? —No; but I at times objected to the length of a great many of the diaries. I required them condensed. There were never any instructions given beyond that. 975. What is the general rule about these diaries? —The agent keeps a pocket-book—or fieldbook, perhaps, is the best term —in which he enters every day his actual work, the state of the rabbits in his district, &c.; and at the end of the month he copies this and sends it to the SubInspector. 976. And everything in the notebook is condensed in the report?—l cannot say if it is so in every case ; I have not seen a great many pocket diaries. I can say my own was always condensed. 977. Then he writes from the diary into a book? —He writes it out on a form supplied by the department from his book. The Sub-Inspector gets it in the first instance from the agent, and he sends it to the Inspector in charge of the district. 978. Is there a duplicate kept ? Is there one in Palmerston and one in Wellington ?—There should be the field-book, in the first instance, in the Sub-Inspector's office, and there would be a copy of that sent by the agent to the Sub-Inspector, who in turn sends it to the Inspector in charge. Since September, 1888, these remain in the district office, Dunedin; before that they came to Wellington.