48 



Mr. HEBDEN (Wanaaring) thought it was understood that when this clause was passed they could 

 go through it piece by piece, and pass it as it stood or alter it. 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) said that they had accepted the'principlo with the right to amend it. He 

 proposed that the sense of the meeting be taken as to whether it should be taken as a clause, and that it 

 now be considered seriatim. 



Mr. HEBDKN (Wanaaring) seconded it. 



The CHAIRMAN said that had the clause been passed without any reservation being allowed by the 

 Chairman, he should certainly rule that they go on with the other business, but on those grounds he thought 

 that it might now be considered. 



Mr. T. BKOWN (Budgerabong) said that in lieu of subsection A he would submit the following: 

 " That repayment of principal, together with interest, be on a similar basis as that provided for the 

 payment of principal and interest on conditionally-purchased land." That would enable the Minister to 

 fix the interest and adjust the cost to the Department, and what was over and above that would go to the 

 principal, and the effect would be, as the years went by, that the contribution towards the principal would 

 be a yearly increasing one, and the contribution towards the interest would be a yearly decreasing one. 

 That was what he had iu his mind when he first drew up the resolution. 



Mr. ALISON (Canoiibar) withdrew his motion and seconded Mr. Brown's. 



Mr. FLANAGAN (G-unbar) supported it. 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrina) also supported it. 



The CHAIRMAN then put the question to the Conference, and it was carried. 



Clause 27. 



Co-operation between neighbouring Hoards. 



27. Where the Kabbit Boards of neighbouring rabbit districts agree to co-operate in the 

 erection of a barrier-fence for the joint protection of the said districts, the Kabbit Board which 

 erects such fence shall be entitled to receive from the other Eabbit Board half the cost of erect- 

 ing the said fence and half the annual cost of maintaining and repairing the same, unless the 

 agreement shall provide for the payment of some other proportion of such costs; and for the 

 purpose of this section the erecting of a barrier-fence shall include only the expense of rendering 

 rabbit-proof any existing fence on the barrier that may be utilised or converted into a barrier- 

 fence, and of erecting rabbit-proof fences in places on the barrier where such may be necessary : 

 Provided always that any such agreement between Kabbit Boards shall be in writing. 



Mr. BACON (Bivwarrina) moved, c: That clause 27, as printed, be adopted." 



Mr. GORMAN (Berrigan) said the resolution they had just passed was too vague. He thought they 

 should put in 1 per cent. It ought to be fixed. 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrina) desired that, as many of the gentlemen were going that night, they 

 should get through as much of the business as possible. 



Mr. GIBSON (Hay) seconded Mr. Bacon. 



Mr. HEBDEN (Wauaaring) said that clause 23, as a whole, had not been passed yet. He proposed 

 " That clause 2l!, as amended, be passed." 



Mr. GIBSON (Hay) seconded it. 



Clause 20, as amended, was put to the meeting and passed. 



Mr. BACON'S motion, that clause 27 as printed be passed, was then put to the meeting and carried. 



Clause 28. 



Disputes between neighbouring Eabbit Boards. 



28. In the case of any dispute arising between the Eabbit Boards of neighbouring Kabbit 

 Districts as to the payment of any money or the doing of any act required to be paid or done 

 under the provisions of this Act, or as to the carrying out of any agreement between them, the 

 matter of the dispute shall be referred to the Minister, and his award thereon shall be final and 

 conclusive to all intents and purposes : Provided that the Minister before making his award 

 may refer the matter in dispute to any Local Land Board for investigation and report. 



Mr. WILKKS (Broken Hill) moved that clause 28 be passed as printed. 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) seconded it. 



Mr. FREEMAN proposed that the word " provided " in line 4 down to the end be struck out. 



Mr. WILKES (Broken Hill) wanted to know how the Minister was to decide on this; he did cot 

 think the Minister had sufficient machinery at his command. The Minister sent for investigation, he did 

 not send for their decision. He must have some machinery for reporting, and he could not expect the 

 Pastures and Stock Board to report to him, for that would be unfair as they would be concerned in the 

 matter. Whom else could it be referred to. He thought it wa* only riyht that the Minister should have 

 the right to refer it to some of his own officers, they being better officers than the Local Land Board. 



Mr. FUEEMAN, in moving the resolution, said he would like to point out that the Minister would 

 have representation on boih boards and the matter would be freely discussed, and any disagreement 

 between the two courts could be fairly set out and be referred to the Minister as arbitrator only. If 

 people disagreed and the matter was referred to arbitration, let the arbitrators settle it. Why should we 

 have the delay. This may be an urgent matter and the rabbits might be increasing. They might want 

 to get the wire-netting fences put up, and there might be some little disagreement about it. They might 

 be delayed for six months while the whole matter was referred and discussed by the Local Land Board, 

 and they sent for fences. The whole matter might be delayed for perhaps twelve months before it was 

 settled. The whole matter could be fairly and honestly put before the Minister. 



Mr. FREEMAN'S amendment lapsed for want of a seconder. 



Clause 28, as printed, was put to the meeting and carried, 



32 G Clause 



