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the employment of Sub-Inspectors: do you think that political influence would not be equally as strong under county authorities ? —Local influence would be brought to bear quicker. 486. But local influence is political influence when exercised in the power to elect representatives ?—I think it most essential to bring about the strong effect of local feeling in this particular matter. 487. In counties, you know, there is a change of men but once in three years ?—Every month the report of the Inspector w-ould come before the Council. I fancy myself that the local feeling would be more successfully brought to bear in this manner. 488. Even in regard to County Councils, is it not the case that the majority of the members would be small proprietors who have not the same interest in the destruction of rabbits as the large proprietors have ; but many of whom would have an interest, in the circumstances you mention, in the employment of persons for managing things in their midst. Is it not the fact that these small proprietors exercise a preponderating influence?—No doubt, but the case has become so serious that this feeling cannot have much weight. The interest of the country on this question is understood even by County Councils. 489. Possibly so where it is fully developed : but how would it be before becoming fully developed ? You are aware that local influence was once brought to bear on the Trustees under the Act in such a manner as practically to defeat the operation of the Act. If that is continued, what is there to prevent the country being overrun with rabbits again ? —The district of Southland w-as the first in which the Babbit Trust Act came into operation. There we did not find that the local influence was brought to bear adversely. During that time we had many prosecutions for want of energy —just as much as under the management of the Government. 490. Was it not complained of —the fact of local influence being so strong; so that it led the Legislature to determine that the entire control of this department should be placed under the Government ? —Yes. 491. Hon. the Chairman!) Do you keep any rabbiters employed to shoot rabbits ?—No. 492. You trust to phosphorus and the natural enemies?— Yes; phosphorized oats. 493. Have you been able to increase your number of sheep of late years? —Yes; gradually. 494. What proportion more have you now than seven or eight years ago ?—The first three years I had rabbits on my property my sheep were reduced from sixteen thousand to seven thousand : that was the maximum of reduction when the pest was at the worst. 495. What number are on that property now?— About twelve thousand. 496. Then the continued increase of the number of your sheep you attribute to the presence of the ferret ? —Clearly ; I attribute it to the effects produced by the phosphorized oats and the ferrets. 497. Mr. Walker!) Do the Babbit Inspectors allow you to confine yourselves to these two remedies—poisoned oats and ferrets?— They do not indicate any process at all. 498. Do they not force you to put on rabbiters?—No : they give notice under the Act; in some cases they follow it up by proceedings in the Besident Magistrate's Court. The Resident Magistrate, as a rule, accepts the ipse dixit of the Inspector. 499. At one time you used rabbiters and dogs ?—Yes ; there was a considerable portion of the population with dogs, employed in trying to extirpate the pest. There are very few dogs employed now; it had rather a disastrous effect upon the proportion of population so employed. 500. Had it any good effect ?—We employed a great number. 501. Hon. the Chairman!) As long as you had rabbiters were you able to increase the number of your sheep ?—No. 502. Mr. Walker.) Do you think that the population who take to rabbiting is demoralized ?— I have my doubts as to many; it does debase some. What they do afterwards I cannot say. 503. Has it a bad effect on the entire population—on the community as a whole?—l do not think it very desirable: I see a great many girls and boys working at it from day to day. 504. Hon. Mr. Nurse!) Do you think these Inspectors have too much power ; that in fact they can order you to put on rabbiters against your will ?—I have a great objection to many that are employed, but I do not mean to decry the Act. 505. Do you not think that the Act is unfair in allowing the Inspector to order you, under penalty if you refuse, to take steps for the desrtuction of rabbits which are against your will, because you know them to be ineffectual ? —The Act is unfair in that it does not give to the defendant any opportunity of adducing evidence that he has done his best to reduce the rabbits on his property ; that is to say, the Inspector's statement is taken to be sufficient. 506. He can state what you have not done ? —Yes; and you are prohibited from bringing counter evidence. But as to the Act itself, you cannot be too severe in bringing about the destruction of the rabbit as far as possible. 507. Hon. Captain Fraser!) Is it the case that they have left the places where they were first in your district ?—Yes; but they were starved out. There- were sandhills in which they used to burrow. They consumed almost the entire vegetation in the neighbourhood, the wind covering the vegetation with sand. 508. Are they away entirely from the places where they were formerly?— Yes, through starvation. 509. You have had perhaps more experience than anybody in the colony: is it your opinion that with phosphorus and the ferret, and without the assistance of rabbiters and traps, you can keep the pest under? —Yes, lam sure of it. I believe the application of phosphorus to oats for the destruction of rabbits was a discovery of momentous interest to the country. 510. Hon. the Chairman!) We have evidence that rabbits will leave poisoned oats, but that they will eat poisoned wheat ?—We never touched wheat when we found that oats, which was cheaper, would do. 511. Possibly it retains the poison longer?— Yes.