52 



on the understanding that that Board should be reconstructed, as it were, and it had beeu given to that 

 Conference pretty definitely to understand, that if the Stock and Pastures Board were to have these 

 powers under this Bill, then Ministerial representation of some kind or other must find a place upon that 

 Board. To secure tha*; representation they must reconstruct the Board. It had also been put forward 

 as a necessity to that end, that the franchise of the StoL-k and Pastures Board should be enlarged, because 

 of the increased taxation powers given under it so as to give the franchise to those who would be called 

 upon to bear this increased taxation. That was the position as he understood it. The Hon. Rupert 

 Carington had endeavoured to go in the direction of meeting that position, but he had not been prepared 

 to go as far as he would like to go. If it would expedite the business of the Conference, and they could 

 agree upon the matter, he would be prepared, if the Hon. Rupert Carington would withdraw his amend- 

 ment, to withdraw his own, and allow the Hon. Rupert Carington to introduce a motion on the lines 

 that he had suggested, a modification of the two resolutions. 



Mr. BUOOKE (Boggabri) could not see why they should not go back to the original Bill or modifi- 

 cation of the Bill. They had all come to the conclusion that the Pastures and Stock Board should 

 administer the Act. The Bill provided that. In nineteen cases out of twenty no one would ever 

 question the Board ; and if they did they would simply apply for an election, and they would have a 

 new Board on new lines. If anybody could show him any reason why they should not utilise the 

 machinery which was offered them in the Act he would withdraw. He thought the wisest thing they 

 could do was to accept the Minister's proposals in the Act. 



Mr. CAMERON (Ivanhoe) said that the reason why they should not adopt the lines suggested by the 

 Minister was, that if they did they would have to adopt the franchise which would be objectionable to a 

 very large portion of the Conference. 



Mr. BKOOKE (Boggabri) said that was only a temporary provision, and if it did not answer satisfac- 

 torily they could have an election as provided for in clause 7, and the franchise could be altered in any 

 way the Conference proposed. 



Mr. Ross (Hume) said that when this matter was before the Conference he f ullv understood that 

 the Stock and Pastures Board were to administer this Act in the same way as they administered the Stock 

 and Pastures Act ; but if the Stock and Pastures Board had to run two Acts they might just as well have 

 two Boards. It appeard to be the opinion of the Conference that the franchise of the Stock and Pastures 

 Board should be put lower. He was quite prepared lo give every man a vote down to 100 sheep. He 

 would like the Conference to adopt an enlarged vote for the Stock and Pastures Board, and that would 

 enlarge the situation, and the Board could then work the whole thing. lie would suggest that the 

 Board was quite large enough with the addition of a Government nominee. lie did not see why they 

 ought to have two sorts of members on the Board. Let thorn look after the rabbits and everything 

 else. He could not support any proposal to put two men on the Board solely to administer the Rabbit 

 Act, because if the Stock and Pastures Board were to work the two Acts independently he would just as 

 soon have two Boards. 



Mr. AUSON (Canonbar) said that the position at the present time was that the Honorable Rupert 

 Parington had withdrawn his motion and adopted Mr. Brown's amendment with some alterations. It 

 would then stand something like this, " That for the purposes of this Bill the constitution of the Stock 

 and Pastures Boards be altered so as to provide for (1) the appointment of a member by the Government ; 

 (2) that three members bo elected under the Pastures and Stock Act as at present provided, with a 

 minimum voting power of five head of large stock; and (3) that five members bo elected under the 

 Diseases in Sheep Act as at present provided, with a minimum voting power of 200 head of shoe]).' 1 

 There was a reduction from ten head of stock to five head. The whole constitution would be simply the 

 present Boards under the Diseases in Sheep Act and the present Boards under the Stock and Pastures 

 Act, and one additional member nominated by the Governor. He would be quite willing to withdraw his 

 amendment, but he thought the reduction to five head of large stock was too low ; it would be advisable 

 to retain the ten head. If a man had not ten head of large stock, the probability was that he would be 

 only a carrier, or someone who was not directly interested in land or stockowning. He thought it 

 would be dangerous in the interest of those who were stockholders ; and he could not see that there was 

 any difference between the interest of the small and large stockowners. He would be very willing to 

 support the new amendment if that alteration were made. He thought the minimum of 100 head of 

 sheep was too low. The Honorable Rupert Carington had placed it at 200, but he would like to see it 

 put at 250. The maximum taxation of this Act was id. per sheep, and now a man with 100 sheep would 

 only contribute 4s. 2d. towards the fund. He would sooner let that man off altogether. He should not 

 be taxed at all. It was hardly worth collection. It was not worth bothering a man about, and the lower 

 they reduced the franchise the more danger there would be to stockowners more danger of bringing in 

 outsiders. A man with 250 head of sheep would contribute 10s. Gd. That was very low indeed, but he 

 supposed it was worth having. If these alterations were made he would withdraw his amendment, and 

 perhaps Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Bacon would see their way to do the same. 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrina) said he would withdraw his resolution on the notice paper and support 

 Mr. Brown's on the lines advocated by Mr. Alison. 



Mr. T. BKOWN, M.L.A. (Budgerabong), said that to meet Mr. Alison he was prepared to allow the 

 Honorable Rupert Carington to substitute his motion, and tD place the minimum voting power at ten 

 head of stock, and the minimum voting power for sheep to 200, reserving to himself the right lo try and 

 reduce it afterwards by amendment. 



The Honorable RUPERT CABIN-STON- (Jerilderie) then moved, "That, for the purposes of this Bill, 

 the constitution of the Stock and Pastures Boards be altered so as to provide for (1) the appointment of 

 a member by the Governor; (2) that three members be elected .under the Pastures and Stock Act as at 

 present provided, with a minimum voting power of ten head of large stock ; (3) that five members be 

 elected under the Diseases in Sheep Act as at present provided, with a minimum voting power of 200 

 Lead of sheep." 



Mr. VAECOE (Hillston) seconded the motion. 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrina) thought that the amount had better be fixed at 250 head of sheep. 



Mr. ALISON (Cauonbar) said that the best means of arriving at this, whether it should be 200 head 

 of sheep, or 100, or 250, was to take a vote at once and settle it. 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrina) considered that a vote should be taken as to whether 200 or 250 should 

 be put in. This would save discussion. On 



