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sheep were bought and taken home; but I am reminded that that would be before this Act came into force ?—I might be able to tell you if I knew the name. 1863. Are you aware of any instance where information has not been laid for breach of the Act ?—I am not, where the case could be proved. 1864. Has the Act been carried out impartially ?—To the best of my knowledge it has. 1865. Do you know whether one has been favoured more than another ?—ln my case I have never connived at the existence of scab. Whenever a case occurred I marked it. 1866. Do you not consider the continuance of scab a very serious thing ?—Yes ; very serious; nothing could be more so for the sheepowner. 1867. Do you think there is more difficulty in the case of small flocks than large ones ?—I think so. Where the flocks are small it seems sometimes to spring up spontaneously, as it were, or as if the birds brought it from one place to another. Many persons are of this opinion. 1868. Do you really think that the birds carry scab about ?—I do not think that they actually carry scab. Hon. Mr. Waterhouse : I think it is very likely. Hon. the Chairman : We have heard that the starlings have something to do with it. Hon. Mr. Bobinson: If you see a lot of sheep in a field and any are lying down, if starlings come about they will actually get up to let the birds alight on their backs. The sheep seem quite delighted. 1869. Can you suggest any plan—have you thought of anything —that would mitigate so great an evil ?—I think that, instead of so much time being wasted in dipping clean sheep, if more time were spent in the inspection of flocks about the markets—l would be very particular about this—there would be a probability of stamping it out. But I should require a thoroughly-efficient man to work with me. The Chief Inspector and those whose business it is to carry out the Act should work together if there is any good to be done. No good can be done if the Inspector and his assistant do not work harmoniously together. 1870. Have you any remark to make about the appointment of Inspectors : do you think that where an Inspector is appointed to subdivisions he should regard himself as an assistant to the Inspector for the district ? —I do : I have an assistant who does not please me at all, whom I could not get removed by any means. 1871. Are you consulted in the appointments?— The Superintendent Inspector told me he would send me a man when I wanted one. He lately sent me a gentleman, a Mr. Knyvett, I think, from Amuri. 1872. Hon. Mr. Williamson.) With regard to the question which you have been asked as to the frequent outbreak of scab in Auckland, do you not think that it arises in some degree through sheep coming from all parts of the country to the saleyards—both mutton and sheep (sheep for killing) and for stores; so that if there is scab of any extent that may have escaped the notice of the Inspector, supposing it to be in its incipient stages, when it would be difficult to discover it. The question I ask is whether scab may not be disseminated in this way through the country. I had a case within my own experience. My sheep got it from going to the slaughterhouse. I sent there five hundred sheep for killing for one of the vessels that was going Home. There was not room for the lot in the vessel. I had to send one hundred and fifty back. I got the scab on the way. I think, Mr. Lewis, that must account to a great extent for the frequency of scab breaking out in Auckland. But I may vary the question. Do you not think that, where there are small flocks so exposed to infection, where the owner is willing, in the interest of the community as well as the owner, it would be best to have them slaughtered ?—Yes; slaughtered on the farm; but not driven off the farm until the Inspector is perfectly satisfied that all acari are killed. 1873. My own impression is that, if they are properly dipped and killed the same day, no infection could be given ?—I should not let one of them go until it was perfectly certain—that, in point of fact, it would not be possible for them to communicate the disease. 1874. Hon. Mr. Waterhouse.) Is not this the best season for detecting if scab is in a flock?— Yes ; a very good time, now when sheep are lambing. If there is any scab in the flock you would soon see it. 1875. Then, if extra assistance were taken in now, with a view of securing a thorough inspection, would not that be one effectual means?— Yes; nothing could be better at this time of the year. 1876. You say that your staff is not sufficient at the present time to make that complete inspection which is desirable ?—Not at present. If I had the sort of inspector I wish for we would attend to that specially. 1877. Does the Inspector invariably attend the market to inspect sheep?— Yes; he has very positive instructions never to neglect that. 1878. Has there been any case in which scab has been found at a market ?—Not under the present Inspector. 1879. How long has he been in office ?—Since January twelve months. 1880. Do many owners sell sheep frequently to the butchers without passing through the market ?—Very few. 1881. They are driven into market?— Yes, in nine cases out of ten. 1882. Is there not a danger that the owner of scabby sheep, in these circumstances, would try to sell to the butchers, and so evade inspection ?—I have not heard of that being done. The flocks are generally clean. — **W\ 1883. If they were inspected in the market there would be little probability of the slaughteryard being infected in t;he way the Hon. Mr. Williamson has described?— Owners of flocks adjoining infected farms would probably send their sheep there. 1884. Have you ever inspected sheep in the slaughteryards? —Yes; frequently. 1885. Have you ever found scab there ?—Not in the slaughteryards.