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10d. instead of Is. Ofd. That is a fine inflicted upon us by our neighbour having scabby sheep. We have to keep two boundary-men between us and scab, at a cost of £180 a year. We have also had to put a fence between ourselves and Highfield's. That cost £70 per mile. Having to dip our sheep before crossing the river they are depreciated in value Is. Thus, having spoilt our wool, having to maintain boundary-keepers, and having our sheep depreciated in value, these are so many taxes put upon us by scab on our neighbour's run. We are dogged and fined after spending a lot of money, while the scabby owners are sympathized with, although they continue to go on in the same way as they have been doing for years. Mr. Dick last year promised us that, if our local Inspector advised it, he would alter the boundary and proclaim a portion of the Amuri clean. 608. But, having a scabby run, separated only by one fence, would it be possible to do so ?—We said we did not insist on including Cloudy Range in the district. Leave that for some years as a buffer between the scabby run and the clean runs. We were quite willing to do that; but they would not accept that either. I asked Mr. Bayly, the Chief Inspector, if there was anything more that we could do than by putting on boundary-keepers. We said that we were quite willing to do it. He said he could not see any more that we could do. I asked him, " Will you throw the district open ? " He said it would depend on the state of Gibson's sheep. He said he could not see that Gibson could do anything more than he was doing. We wrote to Mr. Bayly pointing out the difficulty. 609. Who is the Inspector of your district ?—Mr. Cook is now. Mr. Foster is supervising Inspector. 610. Are you satisfied with the way Mr. Cook is carrying out the Act ? —He has only just come. He was not there when I left; I understand he is on his way. 611. Hon. Mr. Williamson.) If the Act were strictly administered, do you think that would clean the district ?—I think it would ; a great part of the country had been cleaned. There was no reason why the cleaning should stop if the Act were strictly administered. 612. Mr. Buchanan.] In the Wairarapa a clean flock, separated by a simple fence from a scabby one, can travel to market ?—That is what we want to do. 613. Hon. the Chairman.) Do you think there are any insuperable difficulties in the way of cleaning Gibson's country ?—No ; I do not think there are any insuperable difficulties in the way of cleaning it. 614. Do you know Mr. Ingles's run ?—I have never been over it; I know it by looking at it. 615. It is stated that at the back there is a large quantity of bush country which is very difficult to clear sheep from: do you suppose it is more difficult than in the country you speak of ? —ln country of any kind you can send men to kill the sheep. 616. Then, you say there are no insuperable difficulties in cleaning these lands?—l do not think so; it is a matter of money. What I think is, rather, that Mr. Ingles is a poor man, with a small flock, which is of not much danger to the clean district. He has been fined once. Mr. Gibson has been fined twice, and both fines remitted. He is liable this month, I believe, to a much more severe fine. 617. Do you know the shearing-place where Gibson-shears?—That is on the coast-side of the range. Yes. 618. How is it that he has been allowed to bring his sheep over the range to shear his sheep on that reserve ? —I believe it was appointed a shearing-reserve. He rents it, I believe. It is his place now. 619. Is there any remark you would wish to make as to the amendment of the Act or its administration ? —I do not think there is anything more. We want to see the Act carried out so as to see this sort of thing brought to an end. It has cost us a lot of money cleaning that country. We have to go on just the same as if we were scabby. In fact, we may become scabby as long as scab remains there.

Wednesday, 17th September, 1884. Mr. J. McArthur, examined. 620. Hon. the Chairman.) Yours is the St. James's Run ? —Yes. 621. You have had experience of the working of the Sheep Act? —Yes; we had scab for a good many years, but we are clean now, and have been for between two and three years. 622. What sort of country is it where your run is situated ?—lt is very high country. There is a great deal of Crown land and unoccupied country about it; a great deal of it is under snow in winter-time. It comprises about ninety thousand acres. 623. Have you had great difficulty in cleaning it ?—Yes ; it nearly ruined us at first. We had to dip continually in the spring of the year, while the sheep were in the wool, as well as to dip in the autumn and early winter. We put up a great deal of fencing, and kept up a large staff of the best men we could get in the country. We paid them £2 per wetk. 624. Did you fence out the Government land?—ln many cases we fenced out the Government land. We kept on mustering whenever it was possible. Of course in winter-time we could not muster. Whenever it was possible we kept men scouring the country until we got the last sheep out. By dipping in the spring of the year, before the shearing, we killed out scab. We had been going on for a considerable time under the Nelson Sheep Act. That Act was not workable. We have been .fined to the extent of some £700 or £800 under that Act. Afterwards, when other neighbours joined to try and clean their sheep, by dipping in the spring before shearing, and by fencing, we were but'a short time cleaning the whole country. One dipping in the spring will meet the case of any sheep that may have any breaking out. Most people dip in the autumn and do not muster and dip in the spring of the year. Scab if cleaned will break out again if sheep mix with scabby sheep. By making good musters, and by dipping in the wool before shearing, and 7—l. 5.