RABBITS IN AUSTRALIA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3774, 19 September 1907, Page 3

RABBITS IN AUSTRALIA.

It is estimated that the rabbit is costing the pastoral industry in Queensland at least ,£140,000 on fencing alone. The Federal Government proposes to add to this burden of the pastoralist. A re-cently-compiled report shows that there is a total of 16,152 miles of public and private rabbit-netted fences in the Northern State. It is, of course, difficult to estimate exactly what this has cost, but, roughly speaking, the putting up of these fences has involved an expenditure of about ,£860,000, or equivalent to an annual expenditure in interest and sinking fund of about ,£60,000. In addition, there is the annual cost of upkeep of fences, put down at about another £BO,OOO a year, which makes up the £140,000 a year. The pastoral industry is also saddled with a very large yearly expenditure on rabbit destruction, the amount of which cannot be even approximately estimated. As is the case in New South Wales, one of the chief troubles pastoral lessees and grazing farmers in Queensland have to contend against is the apathy of the Government in regard to the matter of destroying the pest on vacant Crown lands, and this question is shortly to receive special consideration at the hands of a conference of representatives from the Rabbit Boards.