The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2053, 13 April 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1907.

Readers of the Times who take an interest in agricultural affairs will remember that a couple of months ago wo made certain charges against the Agricultural Department, and that a few days later wo wore told through the medium of tlic AVcllington Post by tlio Hon. Robert McNab, Minister for Agriculture ,tliat ‘‘there was not a scintilla of truth” in our statement. It will bo remembered also that wo mot this charge of untruthfulness by publishing a departmental document bearing tlio signature of the Secretary for Agriculture which proved beyond any shadow of doubt that our charges wore correct, and that tlio Minister’s statement in characterising them as untrue was in itself an untruth. Our publication containing tlio undeniable proof of our charges and our challenge to him to refute them, was posted to tlio lion, the Minister, and wo have waited now about two months (an ample time surely) for his reply, but so far without result, so there is full justification for believing now that lio cannot attempt to clear himself of the charge of untruthfulness, and his silence must bo accepted as an admission by him that such is the case. Tlio departmental circular lias fixed him, and we hardly expected that ho would reply seeing that the only reply he could possibly mako was to admit the truth of our accusations and his own falsity. Tlic honorable gentleman therefore stands convicted not only of untrutlifulness but of departmental mismanagement of tlio most serious? character, and ought therefore to submit his resignation to the Acting Premier. Indeed it now be comes the duty of the pubile (if they think that honor and integrity should be part of Ministerial qualifications for office, and wc presume they do) to call upon him to tender liis resignation or clear himself of the charges levelled against him. The former he will do if lie values his own honor; but tlio latter ho cannot do in the face of the evidence we possess. Apart from the sacred duty wo oi?e to the public of guarding tlieir interests in all public matters —a duty we have no thought of shirking—we are forced to speak thus plainly in order that the. truth, may bo told and this paper relieved of any suspicion of wilful inaccuracy aiid also in order that the diabolical mismanagement and muddling that is going on in the Department of Agriculture at an enormous sacri flee of public money may in the public interest be put a sto] to. A\ 7 e had some hopes that when Mr. McNab succeeded Mr. Duncan that considerable improvement would have taken place in this respect; but quite tile reverse lias resulted from the change, and the last state of that Department is worse than the first. Lest we may again bo told that there is not a scintilla of truth in this assertion we have collected some evidence from wliicl we quote a few examples to show that tlio Gisborne Times is not the Department’s only accuser, and that the charges of mal-administratioi are proved up to the hilt. Tlio Sec rotary for Agriculture, anxious lie doubt to make believe that “every thing in tlio garden is lovely,” am that lie has earned liis annual salary of £GSO paid by a suffering country in his last annual report to Parliament, page xx, dealing with tin rabbit question, says, “Since disap pointmont was expressed in last year’s report that the export o* (rabbit) skins and frozen rabbits did not show a large decrcaso instead of a small increase. This year’s figures as will be seen from the following table, show an abnormal increase and would lead one to infer that rabbits are increasing at an alarm ing rate. A reference, however, t< tlic Department’s reports, supported by tlio statements of persons wel.’ able to speak upon tho subject, sliov that the very opposite is tlio condition of affairs. And lie adds “This desirable result lias beer brought about,” etc., etc. Thai means that, according to official assertion, the rabbit pest is largely decreasing. Now let us see what the Departmental reports, which lit relies upon for support, have to say upon tho question. Quoting from tho same book, page 152, Mr. AA 7 Miller, reporting on Hawke’s Bay says, “I regret I cannot speak a.< favorably of the higher country. 1 find that tho Kuripapanga and In land Patea districts, Hawke’s Bay country, have become badly infested and that the steps taken to cop* with them have been anything bir satisfactory.” Mr. A. K. Blundell page 157, says “There lias also beer an increase in the more closely set tied districts of Pohanginn and TCi witea, together with part of Orona.” Mr. Jenkinson, pages 162-3, reports “In the AVairarapa, a good deal of difficulty has been experienced in preventing an increase of rabbits this more particularly in the South ern division of tho district.” Mr. Duncan, Palmerston North, p. 163 says “I do not think the rabbit question is so satisfactory as last year.” Reporting on Nelson and Marlborough Mr. Fraser, p. 167, says “There is a marked reduction in Upper Buller; in some other part? rabbits are still inclined to be numerous during summer.” And again, p. 168, he says, “Reports from -Marlborough show that rabbits were troublesome in some places during the year.” Mr.J. C. Bruce reporting on tho pest for Otago and Southland says “A very substantial decrease is reported from all the districts except Maniototo, Lake and Southland Counties.” And from Canterbury the report is favorable but indefinite, so that, taken as a whole the officers' reports show an increase instead of what tho Secretary claims, and there is not a scintilla of support for the assertion that “from largo areas the pest has practically disappeared,” as stated "by the Secretary, and the truth .if liis report to Parliament is as obscure as that of the Minister’s assertion in regard to ourselves. But we liavo otiior evidence on tlio joint. A Press Association telegram published in th4.se columns on Marin 27 giving tho “record rabbit tally at Mataura freezing works on Mon-

day, as 1222 crates containing 31,000 rabbits,” and this is 0110 l’ 01 .' tion of Otago where a doorcase w reported to have takon place, tlior report says “Tho rabbits an. increasing in the Cheviot district in Nort!i Canterbury, where the departmental report allogos a t 0 crease, and from another source wo learn that “bunny” is prospering on cho Fitzherbort hills, through neglect.” AVhat Hum, can bo the value of tho Purlinmontory report which is contradicted most flatly by tlio i o partmontul reports which tlio Sec rotary has tlio effrontery to i ( V upon for corroboration, and bj independent reliable testimony as well. It is not ovon truthful, and tho mao who writes it draws £650 a year foi that kind of work. How long is the country going to suffer this kind of humbug, and wasteful expenditure drawn from the pockets of struggling sottlors, industrious artisans, tradesmen, laborers, and others who if they ran the, business themselves, 'would at least have tho common elements of truthfulness imported into it.