THE RABBIT PEST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 258, 19 July 1918, Page 8

THE RABBIT PEST

While the problem of dealing with the was under discussion at yesterday's sitting of- tho New Zealand Council of Agriculture, Mr. J. A. Young, M.P. (Waikato), gave some interesting figures. ' In illustrating the loss resulting to the Dominio'n'from the bf rabbits in agricultural country, and L the need for certain amendments to the Rabbit Nuisance Act, he .instanced an area in the' Auckland district of some 70,000 acres, which carried ou a low estimate five rabbits to tho acre. That represented 350,000 rabbits. Ten rabbits, autnoriti<Ss eaid less, were presumed-to eat and destroy as much pasture as would feed one sheep. On that basis the country in question could carry 35,000 sheep. Last year the net profit from a sheep generally in Waikato was from 15s. to 255. Taking ,the lesser sum, the net profit from 35,000 sheep would amount to ,£26,250 per year, and that was lost to the country over an area of 70,000 acres. In the face of such facts, the Government could not, he urged, afford to fail'toso improve the law as to permit tho settlers, in addition to what is done under the direction of the field officers of the Stock Department, towards the suppression of rabbits, to establish such local control as would more effectively deal with the pest.