A RABBIT REMEDY.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 6 January 1921, Page 2

A RABBIT REMEDY.

A good story is told of a certain wellknown settler who lives not far from Te Awamutu and who, by his owncupidity, was the victim of a nice little hoax the other day. Evidently /he was ~. alarmed at the fact that £100 penalties * were the reward for failure to destroy rabbits and fell an easy victim to an itinerant canvasser who wanted him to possess the one and only means o ridding his farm of the pest. It seems it ■was a patent," to be preserved for the sole use of the purchaser, and wai shown by a neatly wrapped package which the canvasser dangled before the eyes of this credulous farmer, After very little argument the transaction was concluded, the modest sum of five guineas being transferred from pocket to pocket and the -mysterious package being carried away in high glee, It was an infallable check on the rabbits; this was to be the one farm • in the district for inspectors to point to when less fortunate neighbours squirmed at the prospect of £100 penalties. ..But alas! When opened, the package con- ; tamed half a dozen covers which ; secreted a noosed piece of whipcord with the attached instructions : " First catch the rabbit ; place his head in the i noose and draw the loose end of the - cord quickly towards you and don't rele^Wjj^. 3 until the rabbit is dead—guaranteed by V~-_ the patentee to be effective in every " instance if properly and diligently used. 1' Legal advice merely cost the hoodwinked farmer another guinea, but brought no satisfaction, for he was told that the instructions were explicit and if carried out would be effective.—Waipa Post. >