PESTS OF AUSTRALIAN PASTORALISTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1301, 29 July 1886, Page 3

PESTS OF AUSTRALIAN PASTORALISTS.

The report of Chief Inspector Bruce of Nrw South Wales Stock Department shows how pastoralists are harassed by pests of the kinds that It might be supposed should be kept in subjection. Rabbits, waVnbles, and kangaroos are K ad enough, but to see it In print that 69,745 sheep have been destroyed by “ tame " dogs is too bad. The value of the loss inflicted by these sneaking curs is £29,658. No wonder there is an out cry against those who keep such miserable brutes. They are worse than wild dogs, which are credited with killing 63 117 sheep of the value of £25,868. The aggregate of |tho returns by inspectors of the estimated numbers of noxious animals In their districts show that they are calculated to be 2,509.009 kangaroos, 2 300,000 wallabies, and 20,000 native do*B in the- colony. The decrease of noxious animals during the past year has in twenty districts been reported as considerable ; in thirty five districts it is slight to fair ; in four districts th?y are reported as Increasing. The number of kangaroos destroyed during the past year was 855,676; of wallabies. 506,372 ; of wild pigs, 922 ; of hares 5878 ; of native dogs, 8478 ; and < f eaglehawVs, 55 The amount of assess mont raised by stockowners in 1885 wa» £6l 754 15a 4d, the amount expended £67*432 Is Bd, the differences being accounted for by the subsidy granted by tbo Government to the boards which raised full rates.