The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3855, 24 November 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1883.

Tin. Christchurch Press has recently received several communications on the rabbit nuisance, which has now assumed the utmost importance to tho Avolfare of the Avhole colony. In 1874 the value of the exported rabbit skins Avas £1878, nnd last year this export had risen in value to £88,725! The folloAving table will show, if avc take tho export value of the skins as tho measure of the increase of rabbits, hoiv thoso littlo beasts havo spread over, the country:— £ 1871 1,878 1876 '1,418 1878 33,400 ISSO GG.97G 1882 88,725 In the latter year there were some 9,000,000 skins exported, and notwithstanding tho enormous number of rabbits thus destroyed the nuisance appears to be increasing, instead of diminishing. Tho loss resulting can scarcely be calculated. Mr Tcschraaker is of opinion that it is nearly £2,000,000 per annum. That is to say, had the rabbits not been introduced at all, instead of having somo 13,000,000 sheep in the colony, and a°A\*ool export valued at £3,000,000, there ought to have been nearer 20,000,000 sheep by this time, and a wool export of nearly £5,000,000. Nor is this all. It is calculated that, owing to the depreciation of the runs in the districts infested by_ tho rabbits, the annual loss of the direct revenue in the shape of rents is at_ least £30,000 a year. At present tho e\il, in tho Middle Island, is chiefly confined to the north and south ends of it. In Otasjo and Southland hundreds of thousands of acres have been largely depreciated in value or converted into a desert. In the provincial district of Marlborough the same state of things is experienced to a limited extent, while in the North Island the stock owners of IRuvke's Bay are erecting a rabbit-proof fence along the southern boundary of the provincial district, in tho hope that thereby the plague may be stayed. But Canterbury is also threatened from both north and south ; in fact, the pest has actually mado its appearance in the -Mackenzie country. "There is no safety from tho rabbits, as Avitness their progress in tho south. They come in thousands over mountains; thoy head rivers and lakes, and swarm on to the fresh feed beyond." The question is what steps can be taken to stop the progress of the ovil. It is true we have a Rabbit Nuisanco Act, and the fact that such an enormous number of skins are exported may be taken as evidence that it is being vigorously administered. But the methods at present adopted for destroying the vermin are not regarded by those Avho arc acquainted Avith the matter as sufficient. During the late session the question Avas several tunes before the House, but nothing very satisfactory was elicited. One member suggested that the Government should by advertisement in tho newspapers of Europe and America offer such a roAvard for the discovery of a remedy as Avould tend to induce scientific men to give their attention to this subject. The Government explained that they were fully alive to tho necessity of getting rid of the pest, and Avould be prepared to pay a handsome bonus to anyone Avho would suggest a means of extermination. The Colonial Secretary explained that time after timo ferrets had been shipped from London, but as a rule A'ory feAV Averc landed alive. The opinion of experienced men is that if the colony is ever to be fairly rid of the curse it must be through tho agency of tho natural enemy of the rabbit. But it is useless to import ferrets by ten and twenties at a time. Thoy must be landed by hundreds and thousands. It would cost money to do so, no doubt. But, considering the enormous loss the colony J at present suffers by the pest, and having

in view tho prospect of its rapid spread in, tho future, a few thousands per annumr spent in this way would bo repaid a thousandfold.