RABBITS FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24911, 26 June 1946, Page 10

RABBITS FOR BRITAIN

Sir,—l am a rabbiter of 27 years’ experience. I trapped Hitchin Hills, Hurunui. in 1941, getting 11,000. The tally known before with strychnine was 5000. Mr Renaud stopped me trapping, but the manager, Mr Dobson, went beyond him, and permission was granted to let me trap, as the rabbits were definitely poison-shy. Has Mr Renaud had any practical experience in trapping. or got his living that way? Does he go on theory and has he studied other rabbit boards’ methods—Central Otago’ for instance? A few old-timers could astound him if he saw their trap lines. As for letting does go, it is not done. A rabbiter never knows if he will be on the same country next year. Plenty of good rabbiters will not operate in Hurunui as rabbits are poisonshy. I say, change your bait.—Yours, etc., FRED. RUMBLE. Bankside, June 23, 1946. Sir, —I have read with interest the different letters on rabbits, etc., but as far as I can see V. F. Renaud has failed to grasp that in poisoning rabbits, he also poisoned the natural enemies. For there are always some carcases overlooked on which the ferrets and cats feed, dying in consequence. But the stoat is not caught this way so much, as it relies more on birds. Surely the inspector has experienced this. He also states that traps tend to spread the rabbits. I beg to differ, for the greatest spreading of the rabbits is caused by natural enemies, especially cats hunting young rabbits. The dog and gun is another bad cause of scattering the rabbit. In my estimation V. F. Renaud has not proved his case. It is also far from true that there are far more deer in the country to-day than ever before. Why not live and let live?—Yours, etc., JOHN R. BUCK, Darfield, June 22, 1946. .Sir, —In reply to C. S. Brooker, previous to 1912, on Glynn Wye odd rabbits cost the owner over £4 each, after different methods, including traps, had been used. About 1923, 92,000 rabbits were killed in 12 months. Certainly rafferty rules were responsible. ' I agree it was strychnine and not traps that saved the situation. About this period some trappers admitted releasing milky does. When poisoning St. Helen’s homestead, after a spell following traps, the large number of female rabbits with three legs compared with males with three legs and- a swinger, satisfied me that this method could be used as a key to rabbit farming. Under proper control large properties have been cleared, and kept in good order with phosphorus’ poison. To allow trapping under licence in this board’s area would turn it into a happy hunting ground for trappers. They would then be the authority, not the Hurunui Rabbit Board.—Yours, etc., V. F. RENAUD, Chief Inspector. Hurunui Rabbit Board. Culverdeh, June 24, 1946. Sir, —During the 1914-18 war and for some years afterwards the rabbits in this district increased very rapidly and became a real menace. On this property of 2700 acres, more than 15,000 rabbits were killed in three years from 1926-29. This was done by poisoning alone. Since then the natural enemies have had almost complete control. Ferrets and cats are very plentiful and had the country been trapped, these would have been destroyed, thus allowing the rabbits to increase annually.—Yours, etc., „ T. A. CROFT. Hamilton Glens, Omihi, June 24, 1946. Sir, —I have no wish to farm rabbits, nor do I feel small. I merely wish to see rabbits trapped, while in their best condition and so badly needed for food in other countries. In World War I in France, I, too, felt hunger and saw hardships, and have a clear insight into the suffering on the other side of the world. I endorse all that other writers have said in favour of trapping. To Mr Renaud I say that rabbits will never take the place of mutton, etc., or hurt the export trade. — Yours, etc.,

FARMER. Hawarden, Jline 22, 1946.