Rabbit Regulations and Ruin

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 62, 6 December 1937, Page 9

Rabbit Regulations and Ruin

"AN OLD RES1DENT."

Sir, — Although I am at present a town man, I have some interests in tho back-block eountry and were it possible I would be on the land, 1 have recently retnrned from a week's travelling, some of wliich covered the Poverly Bay Rabbit Board district, and a part oi the Hawke 's Bay Rabbit Boafd district and I met all rabbiters who were very pleased with their jobs and I heard no complaint. In the Gisborne district I'met a high ofiicial of the • board, and also had a conversation with' the gentleman holding a siinfiar capacity for Hawke *c Bay. After a good talk to them and 1 few lalks to mauagers and owpers of station proper ties, I aiu absolutely convinced that if the prespnt progressrve Labonr Goyernment do not mend theii ways in connection with some of thoii laws regarding eountry labour, they will meet with a most hostile reception at the next eleetipn. I am not "agin" the present Government or any other Government, and I believe as far as their light goes they do their best. But the idea of stoppiug shearing on Saturdays, if the 40 hours had been put in, was most ridieulous and has been revised; ' their present idea of making rabbiters work certain number of hours at a certain rate per hour, whieh would meau that the ratopayers would have to find for the board to pay to their men, a wnge of something like ^10 psr week, shows that the departmental officers are utterly iguorant of what is best for the eountry, and may be too fond of their own abilities to ask any body of sheepfarmers who do know. A cowboy on a station would be aware that the only time you can hunt rabbits suceessfully is early in the morning and fairly late in the afternoon, and that rabbiters do this, and rest a number of hours in the middle of the day. They reeeive a good wage, they are perfectly satisfied and the results are good. "Why, then, consider, bringing in a ridieulous law that the farmers cannot, and will not, carry out, and will cause rabbits to increasu and propertieg to deteriorate. One sheep farmer said most bitterly " Well, it is perhaps better to let tho rabbits have it, as to „ let the preseni, Government get it, as they seem to be ont to ruin the eountry." Let us hope that this is not correct. — I am etc..