RABBIT CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3192, 17 September 1917, Page 8

RABBIT CONTROL

M "THE QUESTION OP EXPOKT. ■: ,'.'lt is impossible for the Department j. to: contemplate permitting, any serious i, increase oi' rabbit infestation," says the '* Secretary for Agriculture in his annual ? report, "and the inspectors must, while j". fully : sympathising with the difficulties •', o£ landholders, take all steps necessary i; , to prevent any .abnormal increase. The ( trapping industry in Otago and South- ; Hand is now "quite a large "concern, and ' undoubtedly affords remunerative cin> V ployinent to a considerable' number of i ■'■■. men and to a large amount of capital, V but it is nlso cortairi that both tho men L- and capital would be bettor occupied in '•■': developing the agricultural and pastoral •'■interests. 'To put the matter quite %■ plainly, tho Dominion would undoubted- !' Jy be better off if the export of rabbits ; were absolutely prohibited. . \ .''There is no doubt that, in the diss 'tricts where commercial trapping ob- ?/■ tains, so long as the present profits and . : employment are afforded by trapping, "/"serious efforts to bring the'pest under" i complete control will only be made by j - the/most enlightened and energetic land- : owners, whereas many others will re- '; .main content tosee rabbits flourish so I long as they yield a measure of employ- [ nient and revenue. While Ido not ad- ; ■■■ vocate that any'drastic steps should be ' taken during tihe "war, I i'eel that it i 3 ? only a, matter of time when it> will be f recognised that the trapping industry I -is against the best interests of the'dis- - y trict in which it is earned out."