56 



Mr. BACON (Brewarrimi) said that Mr. Wilkcs Lad taken this up under a misconception. His 

 meaning and intention were very good. He took it that it referred to land that was owned or occupied, 

 and therefore Mr. Wilkes's amendment was unnecessary. It did not refer to public land. 



Mr. OAKDEN (Cobar) asked if the Crown was not the owner of the public land. 



Mr. WILKES (Broken Hill) said if they curtailed the power and made them go to the Minister, 

 they might as well curtail the Act. The Act was to make destruction compulsory. To get the Minister's 

 consent would take a certain time, and they could not go to the Minister and ask his consent as to whether 

 they were to go on his lands. It would be no use creating a Board unless they had this power. 



The CHAIEMAJT then put the question to the Conference as to whether these words should be struck 

 out, and it was carried by 20 votes to 8. 



Mr. ALISON (Canonbar) said that there was now no power of entry. The whole thing was stultified, 

 and there was no power to get on the land at all. 



Clause 30, as amended, was put to the meeting and carried. 



Clause 31. 



Hoard to lie repaid expenses. 



31. All c&ts, charges, and expenses incurred by a Babbit Board in destroying rabbits 

 upon any private holding or land under the foregoing provisions, shall be repaid by the owner 

 of such holding or land, and until the payment thereof shall be and remain a charge upon such 

 holding or land, and shall take precedence of all mortgages or other charges whatsoever, but shall 

 not take precedence of any debt due to the Crown. 



Mr. VANSTON (G-oodooga) moved, " That the clause be passed as printed." 

 Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) seconded. 



Mr. BAYLIS (Narrandera) moved " That the word 'private' be struck out of line 2, clause 31." 

 Mr. STINSON (Coolamon) seconded it. 



The CIIAIKMAN put the amendment to the meeting and it was carried. 



Mr. OAKDEN (Cobar) moved, " That after the word ' owner' in lino 3 the words ' or occupier ' 

 should be put in." 



Mr. CUDMOHE (Wentworth) seconded it. 



The question was put to the meeting and carried. 



Clause 31, as amended, was put to the meeting and carried. 



Clause 32. 



Desl ruction of ralilits on public lands, 



32. It shall be the duty of the Minister to check, suppress, and destroy all rabbits which 

 may from time to time be in or upon public lands, but such duty shall not commence until a 

 reasonable period after moneys have been made available by Parliament for the purpose. The 

 Minister may authorise the Babbit Board to expend such moneys for the purpose of rabbit 

 destruction on public lands, or may apportion a proportion thereof for expenditure in the erection 

 or repair of barrier-fences, or may make such other arrangements for its expenditure for either 

 or both of such purposes as he may deem necessary or expedient in the public interest. 



The maximum sum which the Minister may expend, or of which he may authorise the 

 expenditure, in any llabbit District for any one year, shall bear the same ratio to the total 

 amount received as Babbit Eates during that year as the area of public lands in that District 

 bears to the area of private lands therein, and such maximum sum shall bo ascertained by 

 multiplying the total amount received as Kabbit Bates by the area of public land and dividing 

 the product by the area of private lauds. 



Mr. BAYLISS (Narraudera) moved, "That the word ' all' be struck out of line 11." 



Mr. OAKDEN (Cobar) seconded it. 



The question was put to the Conference and carried. 



Mr. WILKES (Broken Hill) proposed, "That all the words from line 20 be struck out." He took 

 this to be a very important part of the Bill. They had made destruction compulsory, and if they left this 

 clause in, it would be like putting a man in the middle of a river and telling him to swim, and then 

 putting 2 tons weight on his feet, so that he could not swim. Where did the Minister come in to destroy 

 rabbits on his land '? Of course, he had been tackled by the Minister the other day for saying that he 

 would not destroy ; but he maintained that this power would not allow him to destroy. The most he would 

 have would be about 203 on several million acres. Any gentleman who had had any experience in 

 killing rabbits knew that 208 would not deal with a million acres. The Minister's country must be 

 taken to be the worst infested rabbit country. If they tied the Minister down so that he could not pay 

 more than this 208 they would practically see that ho would not spend a penny in killing rabbits. 



Mr. MORGAN said he presumed that a tax of Id. per sheep was only for supervision. And he pre- 

 sumed also that the Minister must kill rabbits on his land. 



Mr. CUDJIORE (Weutn-orth) said he would support Mr. AVilkes's proposal. 



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



The Honorable BUPEKT CAKINGTON (Jerilderie) suggested that a nesv clause of which he had given 

 notice should be put in here : " That for the purpose of this Act the Minister for Lands for the time being 

 be deemed the owner of all unoccupied Crown lands." 



Mr. FLANAGAN (Gunbar) seconded it. 



The question of inserting this clause after line 19 of clause 32 was put to the Conference and 

 carried. 



Clause 32, as amended, was put to the meeting and carried, 



Clause 



