1.—5

56

In reply, I would respectfully submit that I should be informed who has made these complaints, and what th substance of their complaints is, in order that I should have a fair opportunity of stating my own case. If this matter has to go before tho Government, this course will be absolutely necessary sooner or later. Beginald Foster, 16th June, 1884. Inspector of Sheep. Memorandum from Mr. P. B. Boulton to Mr. B. Foster. In reply to your memorandum of tho 16th instant, I have to reply that my memorandum of the 31st ultimo did not refer to any complaints having been made against you in regard to the dipping at the Waiau, and my visit to the Waiau was not made with the view of investigating your action in regard to tho dipping, but that of the lessee of the dip. My memorandum was written to you with the view of having your assistance at tho investigation. That investigation disclosed facts which, in my position as Chief Inspector for Canterbury, appeared to me to show that the dippings prescribed by law, and which dippings I considered all-important for the security of the clean districts south of the Waiau, had, under your superintendence, and in spite of what you knew to be my strong feeling on the matter, degenerated into a mere matter of form. Consequently my subsequent memorandum of the 7th instant was written to you, and I should wish you to understand that it is merely the result of my inquiries from the lessee of the dip, and not to any complaints against you which resulted in that memorandum. 18th June, 1884. P. B. Boulton.

Return of Sheep introduced from Infected Districts into Canterbury.

The within information was obtained from the books of the lessee on the 3rd June, 1884. P. B. Boulton, 24th June, 1884. Chief Inspector of Sheep. 1350. Hon. Mr. Bobinson.) I would ask the witness whether he thinks he could with safety relax any measures adopted for dipping for scab in respect to sheep crossing the Waiau ?—No; I think that so long as there is disease in the Kaikouras there should be no relaxation. The Kaikoura District comes down to the Conw-ay. The Conway bounds the north side of the Amuri District. There is scab on the southern boundary of the Kaikoura District. 1351. Do you recollect how long Mr. Low's large flock had been clean: how long Mr. Low had held a clean certificate ?—I think it was about eighteen months ; I am not certain whether it was fifteen or eighteen months. i■" 1352. Are you aware that there are infected runs adjoining Mr. Low's? —His run is so extensive ; but I might say that a number of runs are called clean ; yet, so long as there are wild sheep about, I cannot see what safety there can be for any of those runs. 1353. Do you know whether Mr. Low adjoins a place called Molesworth?—Yes; I think it does. 1354. While Molesworth was infected, were there not a number of sheep which got off the Molesworth on to Mr. Low's run?— Yes ; I was informed so. 1355. Do you think there is anything like a good boundary existing between the clean flocks in J*he Amuri District and the infected ones ?—There is no boundary worth speaking of; there is only an imaginary boundary. 1356. lam speaking as to north of the Waiau ?—There is no boundary. The Conway is no boundary. It is simply a shingle-bed, with rivulets running through it. There is no boundary at all. 1357. Now, Mr. Eoster, speaking of these sheep, says that you would be able to detect the condition of these sheep in the^Addington yards ; but supposing that, could you tell whether they had been properly handled, and whether they had been properly dipped ? —I would have known that they had not been dipped with lime and sulphur. 1358. Are you of opinion that any or no alteration should be made in the Act with regard to the north of the Waiau until the Kaikoura is clean; that is to say, should any fresh subdivision take place ?—No change should be made until the Kaikoura is clean, or until the Marlborough District is clean,

Date of First Dipping. Date of Second Dipping. Owner. Station. No. of Sheep dipped. In what Material dipped. Strength of Dipping! Material. Under whose Supervision. 1884. an. 1 „ 4 „ 19 „ 28 i'eb. 5 „ 15 lar. 8 „ 15 . 21 ipril 1 5 „ 19 „ 10 1884. Jan. 3 „ 17 „ 24 Feb. 1 „ 8,9 „ 18 Mar. 8 , 19 Macfarlane, J. Tinline, J. Wharton and Co. .. Atkinson, W. Moffatt, W. J. Macfarlane, J. Tinline, J. McDonald, A. Moffatt, W. J. McArtlmr, J. Low, W. A. McArtlmr, J. Low, W. A. Hawkeswood .. Lyndon Cloudy Range Woodbank Parnassus Hawkeswood .. Lyndon Sherwood Parnassus St. James's St. Helens Wairau District St. Helens 2,012 29 2,300 650 2,397 2,161 35 117 3,172 1,762 4,317 4,594 2,890 Little's Lime and sulphur Little's 1 to 100 1 to 100 1 to 100 1 to 100 1 to 100 Inspector P.ister. „ Scaife. „ Foster, Lime and sulphur Little's Lime and sulphur „ Poster. „ Scaife. 1 to 100 April 3 8 „ 21 „ 12 1 to 85 1 to 100 „ Scaife. „ Poster. „ Scaife. „ Scaife. Little's First dip, lime and sulphur; second dip, Little's Little's „ 29 lar. 13 „ 28 „ 29 Mar. 29 Twice same day Tinline, J. Wharton and Co. .. Tinline, J. Jones, E. Lyndon Highfield Lyndon Itotherham 1,004 3,213 15 182 1 to 100 1 to 100 1 to 100 1 to 100 No one present. Inspector Scaife. No one present. lay 15 May 17 Tinline and Neville Gladstone 1,518 | Little's, first dip .. „ second dip 1 to 85 1 to 100 [ Inspector Scaife.