THE RABBIT BILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5450, 14 September 1878, Page 3

THE RABBIT BILL.

TO THE EDITOR Ob’ THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, —Tiie Babbit Bill which has just passed the Legislative Council has evidently been framed by some members of that Hone who have suffered severely from the nuisance, ■and iu their extreme anxiety to abate it thay seem almost to have forgotten the existence of such a thing as common justice to others. As it is quite possible that iu tho great press of business th ; measure may be allowed to slip through the other House, I think it wortli while ta call public attention to its most arbitrary provisions. In the first place it provides that" tho trustees may levy a rate of one halfpenny per acre on all laud iu the district. A moment's reflection will show that, though at first sight an-acreage rate in this case seems a fair one, because the cost of destroying rabbits h iu proportion to extent not to quality of laud, this is only one way of looking at it. For instance, in a district it will often happen that small but valuable properties may be seriously injured by the pest, yet the owner will par the nominal rate iu proportion to value of Ad. per acre, while owners-of large aud poor properties avill pay at the same rate per acre, which avill amount to iu many cases from ten to twenty limes as much in proportion to value, and yet perhaps have few or no rabbits. ■ It is iu fact almost as absurd as it would be for an insurance company to charge a uniform rate per house irrespective of value, because it is as difficult to put out the tire iu a bad house as in a good one. The fair principle would seem to bo to consider the rabbit rate as an insurance on property, aud let everyone contribute towards it in proportion to the value of the property he holds, which would be injured by the increase of rabbits. But this is not tha most arbitrary provision in the Act, as further ou it actually enables the trustees to hunt rabbits 6n-tbe land of any person who they consider is neglecting to destroy them, and without consulting him, to take such steps as they think proper at his expense ; and having hunted as long as they like, they simply send him iu tho bill, and enforce payment if necessary by selling his stock, &c. They are not iu any way bound to destroy the rabbits, and thus do the owner good in spite of himself, but simply to hunt without any responsibility to anyone. That so crude a measure as this can seriously be proposed as likely to lessen the very'serious evil can hardly be credited, except by those who have read the Act, Of course, like all extreme legislation, it will be inoperative, and instead of having a workable Bill we shall goon under this, if passed, with- the nuisance unchecked. I am, &c., A. Z Wairarapa, September 12.