ROUTING THE RABBITS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1921, Page 4

ROUTING THE RABBITS

PLANS AND PROGRESS. WELLINGTON, April 9. The past season, although a bad one for the farmers generally, has been an excellent one lor one of the New Zealand pastoralist’s worst enemies, in the shape of Brer Rabbit. Not for many years has there been so great a propagation of the species. In pointing this fact out to a “Dominion” reporter on Friday, an officer of the Agricultural Department, said that there was no doubt many farmers with the high piices that had been ruling for rabbitskins—especially those coming from some parts of the South Island—became careless in connexion with the work oi exterminating rabbits located on their holdings. There was a tendency on the part of some to regard bunny as an asset. In place of engaging poisoners they were getting the work done free of cost by trappers. In some cases, farmers actually received a bonus from trappers for permission to trap on their ! property.

| The sudden drop in the price of rab- • bit skins has completely altered tin . whole aspect of the situation. and tbl’ i being followed by the most favonnihh I season for the breeding of rabbits experienced for a largo number of years, has: apparently led to a considerable increase in the pest in most of the infected areas in the Dominion. On the other hand, however, the unusnal’y dry season lias made poisoning operations mere . successful, the conditions lying favour- . able to a successful “take.'” In most rabbit-infected districts, therefore, it is expected that there will lie a considerable decrease in tiro pest, as a result ; of this season’s poisoning. , Tim Department of Agriculture recog- ; nises that if the farmers would reduce ’ the- rabbits to reasonable dimensions : the vermin might then be kept in check . by means of their natural enemies—■ferrets, stoats, and weasels. With this ' object iii view, a large number of fer- : rets are to be bred at the Wallaceville laboratory and sold to farmers. In this connexion it is interesting to note that ! Lite extensive trapping of rabbits that I was carried on before the drop in skins has also resulted in large destruction of their natural enemy, ferrets’ skins Icing valued by trappers as well as those of the bunny. ! Rabbits are still far too numerous in the Dominion, especially in Otago and Canterbury, and in the King Country, in which latter district there were until a few years ago very few rabbits. Now, however, the King Country is the worst district in the North Island. It is common knowledge that in some parts of the South Island rabbits have driven thousands of sheep off the land, and several run-holders have, through this cause, abandoned their holdings, 'that the situation is still serious in parts is borne out by figures in the possession of the Department. These disclose the fact that the carrying capacity of a certain big station in Otago was decreased to the extent of 12,957 sheep in the last five years. The biggest- drop occurred during last year, when the run pastured 7035 fewer sheep than in 1919. The detailed figures are as follows:—1916, 32,439 sheep; 1917, 31,372; 1918, 25,548; 1919, 20,516; 1920 19,481.

.Meanwhile the rabbit inspectors in the service of the Department are

rigorously enforcing the . egulations relating to the extermination of the pest. No half measures will be taken, and farmers must carry out such work that is necessary to keep the rabbits in check. In Te Awamutu recently, a number of farmers were heavily fined for breaches of the Act, and a warning issued that further failure to comply with the regulations would lead to still heavier fines. Some of the lines imposed recently by Magistrates, especially in the South Island, have been so low that it would appear in many cases, a “Dominion” reporter was informed that farmers not inclined to exterminate the rabbit consider that it is cheaper to pay a fine than to employ men to carry out the necessary poisoning. •rjgKMragafiwumii ■ wmiiiiiimi hi iftl