55 



present franchise of the Pastures and Stock Board, and would concentrate the voting power in the hands 

 of a few. -As far as extending the franchise was concerned, they had only brought it down to the same 

 basis as would accord with the taxes raised. If they passed this resolution, they would place the small 

 holders in a worse position than they were in before. 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Guiibar) said he agreed with Mr. Brown. 



Mr. T. BUOWN, M.P. (Budgcrabong) said the members had promised them an extended franchise, 

 and now they wanted to take away all that had been given by increasing the plurality of the vote. 



Mr. CtJMMiNG (Hillston) thought that the Act could be left as it was. That would get over all 

 objection?. If they lowered it at one end and raised it at the other, their work would be destroyed. 



Mr. GORMAN (Beivigaii) certainly thought that, in a spirit of fair play, if the large holders wanted 

 this increased representation, the meeting should give it unanimously. In nearly all districts, the small 

 holders were increasing and the large holders decreasing. 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) said that this could only apply to the very far west, and he thought it 

 would not be of any great importance, even to the large holders, but he did not see that they need object 

 to pass it. 



Mr. DILL said, as a matter of fairness, he thought the motion should pass, and those in the 

 meeting who wished to act in a spirit of fairness should vote for it. 



Mr. VANSTON (Goodooga) said he thought it was a very large jump from 250 to 40,000 shoe]). 

 Out in the west there were many men with something like 1,000 sheep, and these men would only have 

 one vote. ^ 



Mr. LAWRENCE (Balranald) supported Mr. Oakden. He thought it only fair that this representation 

 should be conceded. 



Mr. OAKDEN (Cobar) pointed out that Mr. Brown was mistaken in thinking that if this were 

 conceded, it would be taking away what had already been given to the small owners. It would only apply 

 in a few districts. It was a very small matter. 



The CHAIRMAN then put the question, and it was carried by 22 votes to 12. 



Mr. YANSTOX (Goodooga) then moved that all holders of over 3,000 sheep should have two votes. 



Mr. CAMEEON (Ivauhoe) seconded it. 



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



Clause 30. 



30. If any owner or occupier shall neglect or fail to comply with the terms of auy notice, 

 whether published in the Gazette or given to him in writing as aforesaid, such person may be 

 cited to appear before the Rabbit Board, and unless he satisfactorily explains his neglect or 

 failure, or receives an extension of time to comply with the notice aforesaid, any person 

 authorised by the Kabbit Board may enter upon the holding or laud and use all such means and 

 take all such measures and do and perform all and every such acts or things as to him may 

 appear proper or necessary to be done to ensure the destruction of the rabbits upon such holding 

 or land, and shall have free right of ingress, egress, and regress into, over, and across such 

 holding or land for such period as may, in his opinion, be necessary for destroying such rabbits : 

 Provided that 



() entry shall not be made upon any holding or land under the provisions of this section 



unless and until the Board shall have obtained the consent of the Minister ; and 

 (b) poison shall not be used without notice being given to the occupier of the holding or 

 land of the intention to use the same; and nothing shall be done iu contravention of 

 the Animals Infectious Diseases Act of 1888 ; and 



(a) the authorised person may at any time withdraw from the holding or land upon payment 

 of the costs, charges, and expenses incurred by him up to the date of such withdrawal ; 

 and 



(d) nothing contained in this section shall prejudice any proceedings taken under the 

 provisions hereinafter contained for the recovery of any penalty which may have been 

 incurred by an owner or occupier. 



Mr. CUMMING (Hillston) moved, " That clause 30 be passed as printed." 



Mr. CAMERON (Ivanhoe) seconded it. 



Mr. WILKES (Broken Hill) moved that subsection (a) be omitted. 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) seconded Mr. Wilkes. 



Mr. WILKES (Broken Hill) said that if they had to get the consent of the Minister to go on land, 

 that meant public laud, and the Minister would never let them go on to it. 



Mr. CUMMINO (Hillstou) proposed that after the word "Gazette" the word "and" be inserted 

 instead of " or" in line 2 of clause 30. 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) seconded it. 



Mr. Cumming's amendment was put to the Conference and carried. 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) said he must oppose Mr. Wilkes's amendment, but thought that it was 

 decidedly advisable that they should not put all the power iu the hands of the Board. He believed in the 

 Boards as a rule, but they should not leave everything to them. He did not believe in the Board going 

 on any holding without having some authority from whom to get permission. The Board could put a man 

 to the expense of 1 per acre, and there should be some reference to the Minister about it. The Minister 

 would want to know what they were going to spend, and so on. It was an enormous power to put into 

 the hands of the Boards. 



Mr. LITTLE (Bullock Creek) said he must object to Mr. Alison's opposition, for his experience in 

 dealing with rabbits had been that unless the Boards had full power they could do nothing. They knew the 

 conditions ; they saw the rabbits ; they knew more about it than the Minister. He should certainly support 

 Mr. Wilkes's proposal. He thought they should give enormous powers to the Boards rather than to the 

 Minister. The Boards were elected upon a free-will franchise. It seemed to him utterly unnecessary to 

 wo to the Minister. It might be referred by the Minister to the Land Board before his consent would 

 take effect. They must give the Habbit Boards full power. The great thing was to take the rabbits in 

 time. Mr - 



