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Dunstan Times, Issue 744, 21 July 1876, Page 3

THE RABBIT NUISANCE. (to the editor of the dunstan times.) Sir : —My attention has just been drawn to a paragraph appearing in one of your late publications, in which a suggestion is made with the view of ameliorating the Rabbit nuisance, which has grow a, I am sorry to say, to such an alarming extent in this, as well as in other districts in the Province. The suggestion referred to recommends the adoption of gas tar placed in a sardine tin, in which is to be inserted a red-hot iron, the whole to be placed in a rabbit burrow, the mouth being then at once closed, as well as all other openings observable by the escaping smoke; by winch process the rabbits are to be suffocated. As I am one of those unfortunate persons who has suffered considerably from this devastation, I have given the suggestion much consideration and endeavored to give it effect, but am obliged to confess its working is not practicable in this region at least, where it would take yearn of patient toil before any beneficial results might he perceivable—in the first place, how is the poker to be kept “ red-hot ” miles away from the homestead and in a mountainous country where fire is not procurable, and moreover, the rabbits, for the most part, find a home amongst the crevices of the rocks, which present so many apertures that it would be impossible by this means to dest - oy them. No ! 1 think I have discovered a simpler and a better process, and one that cannot fail if the details arc strictly adhered to, my only regret being that instead of the Government go : ng to the expense of a costly and useless Commission to cngivre into this matter, they had applied to me, as 1 believe I would have been enabled to have done my Country some service, and at no expense at all.

My plan is as follows Take a spoon, not a table spoon, but an ordinary pewter tea spoon, suck as they use at stations ; fi l ' it with salt—station salt mind, no other will do -and then empty the contents into a piece of paper, proceed then cautiously to some well-known haunt of the rabbits, catch them one by one, and rub carefully a small portion of the salt well in to the tips of their tails, taking care before the animal is set at liberty that the salt has taken effect upon the adipose tissues, when the operator will have the supreme satisfaction of beholding that, after a few vain ineffectual struggles Bunny will heave a feeble gasp or two, and then peacefully succumb to the deadly influence of the station saline particles.

I confidently recommend this to your numerous readers, and my fellow sufferers, as I can safely say it never failed with A Young Sqijattf t. Heron’s Claw Station, 20th July, 1876.