The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3820, 13 October 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1883.

Rabbits have made their appearance at last on tho AVcst Coast, and arc now reported to be in hundreds on the sand hills of Rangitikei. Tho littlo beasts have been somo years negotiating tho Ruahino ranges, but they havo at length succeeded in pushing their way across from tbe Wairarapa. Thero is something terribly imposing about this rabbit plague, the advent of wliich seems to be as certain as Death itself. It has caused a loss in the capital value of tho colony of fully three millions sterling. Mr Tcschcmaker lias demonstrated that as taxpayers the public at largo suffer annually a loss of £18,750, which otherwise would bo paid as property-tax. There is a loss to the colonial revenue of some £30,000 a year on pastoral rents through the country having to be abandoned, and there is a loss on wool export of a million and a half sterling. Unlike some other plagues the rabbit pest brings no hidden blessing with it; ifc has not a single redeeming feature. AVhcre it is once established it either produces a desert as barren as Sahara, or impoverishes a prosperous community to the verge of absolute ruin. But though for some ten years past there has been but too much evidence of the disastrous effects of tho plague, it lias taken a long time to rouse the settlers of this district to tho impending danger. Yet has that danger been creeping upon us week by week, year by year, with unerring certainty. Three years ago a rabbit proof fence should have been erected from tho coast, at Waimata, to the Mauawatu Gorge at AVoodville. Supposing it had cost £9000, or £300 a mile, it would have been cheap. As it is now, tho six miles of fencing that is to be erected will afford some protection, but not nearly sufficient. Yet, through the indifference of some, and tho selfishness of others the funds at the disposal of the committee will allow of no more to be done, at least fer this year. It is said that some of tho sheepfarmers have declined to contribute to the voluntary rabbit tax on the ground that by so doing they would only be helping the runholders at the south of the province, whereas rabbits arc already through and through the country. AYe arc perfectly well aware of the fact that rabbits are reported to havo been seen here, there, and everywhere, and that they have been known in the district for years. But those particular rabbits have not overrun the country, for tho reason that they are not the wild breed. Twenty-five years ago rabbits wero tolerably numerous on the estate now owned by Mr Loughnan, and some may still bo found there for all we know. But these small colonies of descendants from tame rabbits can be easily kept down, or exterminated altogether. Not so the hosts that, swarming in tho forest, spread out in all directions, and take possession in irresistible numbers. Thero is but one way of checking tho approaching hordes, and that is by a fence. Rabbiters, ferrets, and cats would no more bo effective in keeping- back '

tho advancing enemy than would a few skirmishers turn back an army. Mr Toschemakor, in bis last letter, says:—"Wo spend £206,446 in defence fund and volunteers, militia and police, so that, should occasion arise, wo might have the means of protecting ourselves from foes without or within ; but what victorious enemy could place ub under such heavy contribution as the rabbit does ? AVhat stronghold of bandits could cause a greater loss to the community than does the rabbit P Then surely we should treat the matter as threatening our national prosperity, and carry on tho war with energy and determination. No sum in reason would bo too large to devote to this purpose, and the longer wo leave it tho worse it will be. £200,000 a year expended in the importation and breeding of the natural enemy would be money well spent, and would in the course of three years, effectually rid the colony of the scourge. Surely £600,000 in three, years would bo well spent if it stopped tho pest where it is, and saved tho private holders of property from fruitless expenditure ; and if tho original capital value of tho country in Otago and Southland alone is restored—nay, it would bo more than restored, owingto the rise in value of sheep since 1873, tho facilities afforded of cheaper carriage and shipping, and to the improvement in the breed of sheep—tho country will bo worth 25 por cent more now than it was then. But to spend the money with any prospect of success, tho Rabbit Act requires great amendments. Under tbo present Act all owners of land are compelled to destroy the rabbits on their properties to the satisfaction of the Inspector" which means that as soon as tho rabbits aro destroyed upon private lands, those from the Government preserves will re-stock the cleaned country. All lands must alike bo made subject to tho same law. Also tho

Act should bo administered by a Board, consisting of practical and interested men. The Board should arrange for tl c importation of tho natural enemy with known and capable men accustomed to tho carrying of wild animals to and from all parts of the world (instead of in the recent haphazard way) by every steamer leaving Great Britain, and should, instead of carrying on the Government ferretrys, receive applications from reliable people throughout Now Zealand who aro willing to undertako tho charge of ferrets, kc, and who should sell the produce to the Board at a stated price. In this way, the animals, so distributed, would bo little subject to the spread of epidemics, and a large sum of money would bo distributed amongst tho industrious.