GIST OSTRICH FEATHERS THEFT REPRESSION BILL. 9 



54. In which way do you recommend that the MT.M.J. 

 old Bill should be made more stringent ? In regard Asch 



to the punishments for thieves and for the buyers Jul 7l 12 . 190 ' 

 of stolen feathers. 



55. You say the farmers of Oudtshoorn are 

 against the new Bill ? Yes, against the whole 

 of it. 



56. 3Ir. I. ./. ran Zyl.~\ Do not you think it is 

 advisable that provision should be made in the 

 Bill compelling a feather buyer not to buy feathers 

 from a ' bywoner " without the knowledge of the 

 owner of the farm ? I would give him the right 

 to buy as long as he finds that the " bywoner " is a 

 registered owner of birds. I have heard it sug- 

 gested by a certain class that a Board should be 

 instituted, the same as under the General Dealers' 

 Licence Act. for the purpose of issuing the licences 

 to feather buyers. I may say that I am quite 

 against a Board, as it will not work well. The 

 magistrate should issue the licence. 



57. J/r. Humdcttt.] In regard to the present Bill, 

 can you suggest any improvement in the class of 

 book you are keeping for registering the feathers 

 you purchase ? I can suggest this much, that each 

 buyer should give the seller a duplicate receipt, 

 that would be sufficient. 



58. You think the book you keep at present is a 

 sufficient check ? Yes, it shows when the feathers 

 were bought, from whom they were bought, their 

 weight, etc. 



59. Chairman.~\ Do the police as a rule inspect 

 your books ? No. unless some query arises in the 

 district. 



60. You are an old buyer, but in regard to new 

 buyers, do they inspect their books ? If they have 

 any suspicions, they do. I may say that in the 

 Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp districts ,210 feather 

 buyers' licences have been issued. From June, 

 1904, to June, 1907. there were only five cases 

 in regard to feather thefts brought before the 

 Magistrate's Court, and of these only two resulted 



