RABBITS IN OTAGO.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1968, 15 June 1880, Page 3

RABBITS IN OTAGO.

As an instance of how the work of rabbit extermination la going on in some of the up-country districts, the 11 Tuapeka Times ” states that on Monday 40,000 skins were brought to the railway station, there_ to he despatched to Port Chalmers for shipment to the London market. Those skins were brought from Messrs Strode and Fraser’s Earnecleugh Station, Clyde. These gentlemen employ eighteen poisoners on the station, while six men with pack-horses (known _as « packers”) are engaged in conducting traffic between the Home Station and the rabbiters’ camp in the ranges, carrying out poisoned wheat and necessary supplies and returning with the rabbit skins. Two men and a clerk find full employment at the atation in making up poisoned wheat and fixing up and despatching the bales. A waggoner is engaged in conveying wheat to the Home Station, and bales of skins from there to Lawrence. Some days ago he brought down 23,000 skins; on Monday, as wo have •aid, he had 40,000, and at the Station, when he left it, there were other 40,000, in readiness to be despatched to the railway ; and still there are no symptoms of the traffic diminishing. Messrs Strode and Fraser supply the rabbiters with poisoned grain at the rate of 8s per 1001 b, and purchase the rabbit skins at 2d each. The men are earning from 20s to 30s a day, and more men would be taken on, but cannot be had. Some -of the so-called “ unemployed ” were offered work, but declined it, preferring their chance of loafing on the industrious along the road. While these particulars refer to Earnscleugh Station, it is only fair to mention that the other runholders are pursuing similar measures, in concert, and by arrangement arrived at in public meeting. The poison does not seem to be taken by the sheep. Although the country “stinks with rabbits,” yet the tide appears to have fairly turned ; already, in many places where the grass was formerly devoured down to the roots, it has again resumed its verdant hue and forms good pasture for the sheep. As an instance of what other runholders are doing, we may note that Messrs Cargill and Andereon have six men employed, who are working their run and making a “ fine clean job of it.” Their men are said to be earning 20s to 25s a day each. The work of destruction is calculated to last for the next six months ; and this is another inducement to men who really want work and cannot find it, to enquire for themselves “ whether these things are so.”