49

1.—5

1202. Mr. Pearson.) Do I understand you to say that the Australian Colonies refuse to take any of our sheep?— Yes. 1203. Even stud sheep ?—lf you take stud sheep there you have to dip them twice. 1204. They quarantine them ?—Yes. It simply debars one altogether from sending them there. 1205. Mr. Buchanan.) What is the value of a fat crossbred in Sydney ?—The value of a 601b. sheep in Sydney is now £1 7s. They have ruled higher. 1206. Are you aware that we are sending sheep over there regularly?—A few have been sent, but only a very few. 1207. From Dunedin ? —Yes ; I know a few have been sent. 1208. Hon. the Chairman.) What is the case with regard to store stock?— The regulations attending the quarantine of store stock simply debar one from sending them there at all. I may add this in regard to fat stock, of which probably a great number would be exported, and would have been exported this season : I say a 601b. sheep is worth £1 7s. in Sydney. Here, during the greater portion of the winter months—l am speaking of Canterbury, where the quotations are higher, I think, than in most places in New Zealand—a 601b. sheep would be worth 15s. That would leave a difference of 12s. a head. The freight and charges, I think, would be about 6s. That would leave 6s. a head profit to the sheepowner were there no quarantine regulations to be complied with. This matter I consider is of importance to every one. I made it my business to inquire into it on purpose to ship and go into it heavily. I wanted to speculate not only in fat stock but also in other kinds. I wanted to ship a lot Home, but I could not do it. In Queensland now merino ewes are fetching £1 55., and the same sheep here would fetch about Bs. or 10s.

Monday, 22nd September, 1884. Mr. B. Foster, re-examined. Mr. Foster, with leave of the Committee, stated, in addition to his evidence : I omitted to state, with reference to the Kaikouras, the course that was pursued in two cases, namely, those of Mr. Collins and Mr. Beese. In Mr. Collins's case, the tenant having died, he had to take possession of his run. He immediately reduced his stock, did a good deal of fencing, and everything that he could to stamp it out. It took four months after he came into possession. We had to lay an information, and on the hearing the case was adjourned for four months to allow Mr. Collins to have every chance to clean his run. The second case was a similar one. Mr. Beese applied to the Government to withdraw his case under similar circumstances. He came into possession suddenly as mortgagee. 1209. Hon. the Chairman.) Before the case was brought on again for hearing, had they cleaned their flocks ?—Mr. Beese had not time. There was only a month in his case. Mr. Collins cleaned, and holds a clean certificate. Mr. Beese's case comes on about November. 1210. Hon. Captain Fraser.) Are you of opinion that the Magistrate has power of adjourning after \*ou lay an information ?—He has power of adjourning for four months. But I can hardly say so; it is a question of law. 1211. It was with your sanction this was done?— Yes; I applied to the Government for permission to deal with Mr. Beese's case in the same maimer as we dealt with Mr. Collins's. I may state that in the five months he had possession he put up fifteen miles of fencing. He has mustered three times. The last time he came into the Inspector's account I found the sheep clean—that is,, the sheep he purchased —but there are many hundreds of wild sheep in the bush. It was to give him time to kill these that induced me to consent. There is another matter that I should have referred to—that is, with regard to trapping for rabbits. It ought to be stopped, if possible, on account of the ferrets. They destroy a large number of ferrets. 1212. Mr. J. C. Buckland.) There is one thing I should like to have clearly before the Committee : that is, whether it is advisable that poisoning rabbits should be made compulsory, and whether all should be compelled to poison at the one time ?—We try to compel them to poison altogether. 1213. Would you consider it desirable to bring in a provision to force all in a district to poison at the same time ?—I think it would be a very good thing. 1214. Do you find that rabbits travel over ground that is poisoned ?—Yes. 1215. Do you think that poisoning scatters rabbits ?—Yes ; to a certain extent. 1216. I should like you to say whether you would strongly recommend that there should be legislation to compel all to poison at the same time ? —I think it would be a good thing to have in the Act.

Tuesday, 23rd September, 1884. Mr. J. Ward, re-examined. 1217. Hon. the Chairman.) You are anxious, Mr. Ward, to add something to your evidence?— The matter was touched upon slightly in my evidence, but I wish more particularly to refer to the fact that the Waipapa Bun and that of Mr. Ingles's are exceedingly rough country, a great par being covered with bush and scrub ; that now the Waipapa is being fenced—a certain portion, small by comparison—within which they intend to clean and keep it for sheep. The fact I wish particularly to impress upon the Committee is that there is a considerable tract of country outside on which nothing can be done for years unless the wild sheep are thoroughly killed off. My country is more open, so that ultimately I shall be in a greater danger than lam now. When they are fenced on Waipapa there will be an enormous width of country occupied by wild sheep. Ido not see any means, if that is fenced, to get rid of those sheep. 1218. Hon. Mr. Bobinson.) The owner will be responsible for his sheep ?—There are no earmarks on the wild sheep.