THE RABBIT NUISANCE IN SOUTHLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 4137, 31 May 1876, Page 2

THE RABBIT NUISANCE IN SOUTHLAND.

The 1 report of the Comfci&iohetii (Sir J* L. Bicharana and Mr W, H> Pearson) an* i pointed to inqhire into i&O -okteffliof the ‘ rabbit nuisancein.Southland aprons in the * Gazette |to day. 3$ of . <Uiat publication, and ii diyidedinto six die* tajiot branches, ; , v^e.s— ■*' hTlie totappaafsaoepf the»hWtMnS6ttth. ” w ' l *“* 11. The extent of by them. :T m. TU ? difficultly which attend the __ aUempt to arnet or exterminate them. ' ~ IV. Tbenatane t>t -tha IWlTflii imf- ; V. „ : jUon* aad the apj|ai«ut remit*. ? w the ve> ThOenWeetione which have heenitade to ua towards arresting the evil. this's- of •» ; the rarer bank to.to apue&ri unnsited. AlreadyffidSig ittdf'ewStlb-attended . with&uager, ooiagj»the ground. being perforated - m all directions with its warrens, andthe railway .' f. ramaiiktnaite tendered Tmeafa-The«sseneeto the l-jinholder ia becoming one of - hnport tliat janysnddenlaUln thSTprio* 'l.

V/ | ■ meanaawithdrawal oflarge capital, which bean Upon the Hfeof every Industry, whether in country, town, oEseap6rlvanttfifc ;b4«ottieß a public «salamity, w*Hoh, when continued, no fictitiotui stimulus can ' coat to th&Qoremnent in lossof revenue is already felt in tlnitpart ef Otago where the stock la j’itriwill becompetiU more apparent when, alt the termination of the present leacep, the . connttyigTqtnh Bofnrh« to bfl l«ti -The proposition . lote.lusd thereby settling a larger population, is ttated.to be met by the fact that the present holder of eay 50,000 apres* having, means at command, employs from fifteen to eighteen men 1 whose sole ooon*' pation is to' exterminate rabbits, pays them well; for; their exertions, findings them in most. . cases -with dogs; arihnanition, ana sometimes in yet raises thedifßcnilty mastering then,and^weThave* AamallarpojrtSatSn by six or , eight to. wtarh: r ont the problem at their owncx- ‘ pause, support their families, fencein their'holdinga, which, after »U, aa.tbsplains and uplands are 1 ‘ ginady freeholds, can be little elte than summer country, and pay the. Qevenunent a higher rented, than that obtained fr&m the present lessees. The rapid increase of the rabbit, owing to the" favorable circumstances of • climate, soil, end shelter, coupled with, the absence of natural enemies inimical to its development, clothes the danger of Itiprdsehce witha palpable significance, ! seeing tbit where climate influents are not to felicitous the fecundity : o( the rabbit is the theme of naturalists. Under these circumstances siinnltaueousneijof action on the part of the Government, pastoral tenants, and freeholders would seem to ... ■ become a. necessity The first, to ensure a future benefit In increased rentals on the expiration of the present leases; the second, to rouble them to secure the aoonmnlatjgna of "past thrift, , .industry, and -enterprise; the last, to hand ’ down to posterity an improved and unimpaired estate. That the case is one which causes much anxiety is; beyond Wll doubt, and we feel assured that if the public estate is to be resoused from keriou* depreciation. and private interests from calami* •tiesana ]oss6s--in no small znekrore the result of an outside visitation of, at one time, an apparently insignificant bnt : now of an extremely serious character^—this can only be obtained by the application of a remedy which shall be immediate, compulsory, and universal.