Mataura Ensign GORE, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14,1884. THE RABBITS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 400, 14 October 1884, Page 2

Mataura Ensign GORE, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1884. THE RABBITS.

i Thai? interesting little rodent, the ra&bi't, has furnished as much subject for discussion in New Zealand as anyanimal of greater physical consideration. Introduced to the sandhills, which line the beach towards Biverton from Invercargill by a few well meaning old fogies, who anticipated the pleasure of aristocratic shooting excursions in their declining years, and who, no doubt had a hankering after rabbit pie, the animals speedily made themselves a home, and, when they, in a short time, found their quarters crowded, sought fresh fields and pastures new. But the fields with which they first cam 3 in contact were not by any means covered with succulent herbs. They soon devoured the very little artificial feed which the patriarchal squatter of those days thought it needful to grow, and by a most striking illustration of natural justice the rabbits drove out, among the first, those who had been the means of introducing them. But the ravages were not confined to them alone. Sivers and hills formed no obstacle to their northward progress, and soon the reduced productive power of the province was apparent, and the complete devastation of its interior parts was threatened. The evil was not now an isolated one. It was felt that although small tarniers might be able for a while to keep them back from their own properties, they were destined to become a^serious and a perpetual cause of depreciation of the total value of the property in tho province unless aomethino; was done. To that end a new department was created and called' the Babbit Department. It was supposed that its objects were kindred to those of the Sheep Department and it was affiliated to it. But until last season th 9 efforts of the new department were merely minatory. The duty of the numerous inspectors was to see that what they considered efficient means of keeping down the nuisance were adopted. The officials gave nothing in return for the rate wjiich; was at first imposed but an occasional visit and a friendly admonition. But last winter the inspectors themselves led the way and by their instructions and their example something like a united and simultaneous was made. In this they were greatly aided by the additional facilities; for destruction placed at their disposal by the phosphorised oats poison brought into use by Qaptain Raymond, who, if his claims arc at all admitted, will be a very great loser should he^ be awarded only LSOO as proposed. But there were grave complaints against the administration of the Depar.menb and these charges were such as were might have been to be expected trom the very nature of the work it had to do. The upshot of, the complaints vsaa tbat a Joint Parliamentary Commute© was appointed to enquire into the whole matter. Shortly after they commencf d tliew *£&/ rumors wtr§ uircul&ted q$

BB^^H^^HHBBHBP^^ature of W^HB^BBHBR™k[ probably reI^^^HHHpPi&ought we had come IBEBBB^er family of '1 ite BabHHP^ahdexpected to bear that every pftncial in the Department had been I sent about his business. But now we are told that the result of much patient incubation has been the opinion that, after all, '" it has worked fairly well." This ia so far gratifying, because, howeverlittle confidence we are compelled to have in Parliamentary committees, we may be assured that the "new broom " idea had, to some extent, at least, infected the joint committee, which is a somewhat unusual title and which must have been created under uncommon circumstances. The most serious difficulty of the whole system, and the one which had always excited strong local feeling, has been that of leaving the large Government reserves entirely alone. No man nor set of men could keep down the rabbits, while, possibly adjoining, there were large areas of shelter to afford them protection. Meanwhile the loss has been partially lessened by the expenditure of large sums in extermination. But the principle is a bad one which creates one industry at the expense of the existence of others and the province would be sounder if every rabbit in it were killed to-morrow.