RABBIT PEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1924, Page 1

RABBIT PEST.

AIENACE TO I’ASTQRAI. INDUSTRY WELLINGTON. Aug. 2 k The Director-General of Agit'i'ulture. in his annual report, says mat rabbit control liiti-t receive further alteuti a from the paint of view of eucieavouiing to bring about hotter ca-ordinatian oi work between inspectors and oicupiet.s of land in certain districts wlmiv trapping for the purpose of securing rablnt skins is becoming an istnhiisiied industry, and quite a lucrative one far those engaged m it. In some North 1 -land areas very excellent work Las been done in rabbit destntetinn. Rabpit Boards having proved Micccssful in their opera Lions, thus demonstrating that w ith farmers them.*-, ives ae’.iv, :.- determined to cope elfectively with the pest. good results can lie obtained. Tlie question oi the rabbit, skin exp art industry in the- south, however, is one needing to he thoroughly gone intr from all paints of view, in order that a settled policy can be adopted which will hold out a prospect of meeting the prevent iinsatisi'ai-t-ny position from a rabbit control point of view to the last advantage. Under present conditions the inspection staff is placed in an extremely unsatisfactory position in these particular districts, and while its nllieers are doing their host to carry out their duties efficiently, the (onditions resulting from tlie rabbit skin export trade undoubtedly exert an influence which renders the work of the inspectors difficult to carry out on the lines one would like to see it carried out. namely, proper co-operation ol f armors and Departmental officers. On this subject the Director of the Live Stock Division fay-:—“There is a very genuine and praiseworthy desire on the part of a considerable number of laud occupiers to have rabbits reduced to a minimum, hut, unfortunately. <ny the part ol others, there seems an utter lack of any serious attempt at improvement, and this is greatly retarding t,he work of the others and the efforts of the Department. The high price of rabbit skins is still a marked factor in blocking the wav t:i tbe improved conditions necessary and undoubtedly the effect of the trapping industry. combined with dilatory owners. unlinam-ial and had farmer* l . is very largely re-jmiisible for retarding increased prod net ion ol live stock and live stock products to the extent of millions of pounds in value. The total vain ?ol tie export trade in rabbits and their skins is sea reel half a million sterling, in spite of tile high price of skills, but it the food which went to feed Llie fourteen million rabbits which supplied the skins lo the value ( w ithout 'calculating the additional numbers killed and not collected and those left to “carry on”) had keen feeding sheep, it does not require a financier to estimate the yearly loss which the Dominion is suffering through the rabbit pest. The question is of great national economic importance. and something needs to be done ns although there is undoubledlv an improvement on tbe position as existing a few years ago. there does not appear to be sufficient- indications of that future improvement so nocessarv il we are ever to reap permanent benefit in the direction of a greatly reduced rabbit pest. It is something to be aide to hold our own against the extraordinary breeding propensities ot the rabbit, but more progress than that is deserved, and it is indisputable that the work of eradication has been made much more difficult to the high c-oinniereial value attaching to the skins. Rabbit Boards formed in tho North Island are entitled to a considerable amount of suppression of the rabbits within the areas "out rolled Ly them, and it is largely to their credit, that the pest in the North Island has been so considerably reduced. The absence el' tlie commercial element in tbe north lias also been oi assistance in the work ol the inspectors. I very much regret that the reports of the work of the majority ol the boards formed in the Otago and Southland districts are not so satisfactory. and I regret to sav that tl-o-e hoards are not giving the results anticipated. Something more is wanted than merely standing between llie Department in its work and the settlers. D has been clearly shown in the ease of quite a lioioLer oi the boards in the north ilia! good work is possible ol fulfilment. and I am i i.mpelled to adduce from the reports received that there is not the necessary spirit shown by the members oT many of the hoards in ill" districts mentioned. A very considerable increase in poison materials despatched troiil the Department's poison depots lias taken place principally in the North Island, tfie largo niilpuiils puri-luised by Rabbit Boards being to some extent re-.pon-,-ilile for the increase. Tbe quantity of phosphnriscd pollard sent out alone amounted to .|B7.oßt)lb. (over 21_ toils) Resides considerable quantities of plusphorhi'd oats, strychnine, carbon bisulphide. etc.