18 



The Honorable Rupert CARINGTON (Jcrilderie) rose to a point of order. That had already been 

 settled, and the question under discussion now had nothing to do with the constitution of the Rabbit Boards. 

 Tin; CIIAIIIMAN suggested that instead of "Rabbit Boards " Mr. Gibson should put in "Pastures 

 and Stock Hoards " 



Mr. Giissox (Hay) had no objection. lie moved that, with this alteration, the clause be added to 

 clause 5. He took it that unless the Crown would assist the owners unless they were prepared to accept 

 their responsibility and pay in proportion to their acreage that they might as well have no Rabbit Bill 

 at all, but simply go back home and let things go as they please. If the Crown were to pay, it was only 

 right that they should be represented. They would not think of leaving out any one section of them- 

 selves they would not think of depriving that section of a vole if they were asked to contribute. In 

 justice, the Crown were entitled to have representation ; and, as the Minister had not asked for a majority 

 representation, he thought it would meet the views of everybody to add those words : "the Crown to have 

 no majority representation in any one district although they contribute more than one-half of that 

 district's revenue." 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) seconded it. 



Mr. LESLIE (Forbes) begged to move an amendment to the effect that the Crown should hare 

 representation in proportion to the amount of rates paid under the Rabbit Bill. He was quite in accord 

 with a portion of Mr. Gibson's resolution ; and he thought, if the Crown became contributors, thev had a 

 right to a voice in the expenditure of this money, but if they were the largest contributors to those funds 

 they had the right to the largest representation. 



The CHAIRMAN suggested that Mr. Leslie should move to leave out the following words from Mr. 

 Gibson's resolution : " but in no instance to have a majority representation." 



Mr. LESLIE (Forbes) agreed, and moved that the words, " but in no instance to have a majority 

 representation," be struck out. 



Mr. OAKDEN (Cobar) seconded Mr. Leslie. 

 Mr. LESLIE'S amendment was put to the meeting and carried. 



Mr. Gibson's motion as amended now stood : " that the Crown shall be represented on the Pastures 

 and Stock Boards in proportion to the amount paid by them." 

 Question put and carried. 



Mr. ATKINSON asked if the meaning of that would be "on the total amount paid by the Crown "or 

 " on the amount paid by the Crown for rabbit destruction " ? 



Mr. LESLIE (Forbes) explained that it would apply to the sum they contributed as stock-owners, 

 as it were, but not to amounts voted by Parliament to assist in the destruction of rabbits. 



The CIIAIEMAN then proposed, with the consent of the meeting, to make it more clear by altering 

 the resolution in this way : " that the Crown may be represented on the Pastures and Stock Protection 

 Boards in proportion to the revenue paid by them as assessments to the Rabbit Destruction Fund." 

 Passed unanimously. 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) said it would now be necessary to pass a resolution making the Crown 

 the " occupier " of all unoccupied Crown lands in the Colony. 



Mr. ATKINSON asked for an explanation. It had boon decided that the Pastures and Stock Boards 

 should have control of the destruction of rabbits; they consisted of eight members. He wanted to know 

 if the Government representation was to be a part of those eight members, or over and above those eight 

 members ? 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) explained that the idea was, that if the Crown paid so much money, it 

 would have so many votes. The Board would still remain the same the Crown would not appoint a man, 

 but would have the votes increased instead. 



Clauses 6 and 7. 



Methods of selecting Members. 



G. The members of a Rabbit Board shall be appointed by the Governor : 

 Provided that 



(a) where the Rabbit District is identical with a Sheep District, as denned under the Diseases 

 in Sheep Acts, or appears to the Governor to be substantially identical therewith, 

 three members of the Rabbit Board shall be members appointed by the Governor out 

 of candidates to be nominated as prescribed by the Board of Directors holding office 

 under the Pastures and Stock Protection Act in and for such Sheep District; and 



(V) where the Rabbit District is identical with a Borough or Municipal District, or appears 

 to the Governor to be substantially identical therewith, three members of the Rabbit 

 Board shall be members appointed by the Governor out of candidates to bo nominated 

 as prescribed by the Municipal Council of the Borough or Municipal District ; and 



(c) where an apparent majority of the owners or occupiers of private holdings within the 

 Rabbit District present a petition to the Governor that three members of the Rabbit 

 Board shall be elective members, the Governor may, by proclamation in the Gazette, 

 declare that the provisions hereinafter contained as to the election of three members of 

 a Rabbit Board shall apply in respect of the Board of the said District, and the same 

 shall apply accordingly, unless and until the said proclamation is revoked. 

 But further provided that 



(rf) nothing contained in the foregoing proviso shall applv in respect of two out of five 

 members of the Rabbit Board ; and 



(e) the said two members shall be members recommended by the Minister, and appointed 

 by the Governor ; 



(/) where no members are nominated, or a sufficient number are not nominated, the 

 Governor may appoint a sufficient number of members to constitute the Board. 



Election 



