14 M1MTKS OF EVIDENCE TAKEX BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE. 



TiK'xihnj. 16th July, 1007. 



PRESENT : 

 Mr. MlCHAU (Chairman'. 



Mr. P. JD. do Yilliers. 

 Mr. II. C. Van Zyl. 



Mr. Hurndall. 



Mr. Bellingan. 



Mr.w. Mr. William Thomas. M.L.A.. examined. 



M.LJL" 91. Chairman.] You are a Member of the House 

 , - of A ssemblv ? Yes. 



llT 10. l*H/i. __ * if* n -*r 



92. Y ou are an ostrich farmer ? Y es. 



93. The object of this Committee is to enquire 

 into the Ostrich Feather Thefts Repression Bill 

 which has been laid before the Council. Are you 

 acquainted with it ? Yes. 



94. Do you approve of the Bill ? I do not 

 approve of it altogether. 



95. To which clauses do you take exception ? 

 In the first place the clauses we objected to most 

 one has been struck out that is with regard 

 to giving neighbours notice of intention 

 to pluck and the other is the registration of birds. 

 In Central Albany and in Bathurst they only had 

 these two objections, further than that they agreed 

 to the Bill as it stands. I will put in a letter I re- 

 ceived from the Koonap Farmers' Association in 

 which they offer suggestions and alterations. 



Koonap, June 25th, 1907. 

 W. Thomas, Esq., M.L A., 



Cape Town. 

 Dear Mr. Thomas, 



As requested at the Meeting held yesterday I enclose you 

 results of Ostrich Feather Bill after it passed the Meeting. 

 There were about thirty-five at the Meeting including live 

 feather buyers, the remainder being all farmers who 

 farm ostriches including the Douglass's, Page's, Wilmot, 

 Kent, Bosch, from the Albany side, and all the principal 

 men interested in ostriches on our side. 



I hope you, together with the members representing ostrich 

 men, will use your influence with the Attorney-General 

 and get him to alter the Bill in such a way as to meet the 

 men who have to farm under it. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c., 



GEO. b. TOMLIXSON, 

 Hon. Sec. Koonap Farmers Association. 



