COSTLINESS OF RABBITS.

Patea Mail, 11 February 1882, Page 3

COSTLINESS OF RABBITS.

Mr J. Bennett, owner of 2,900 acres laud at Taueru, Wairarapa, has been prosecuted by the Rabbit Commissioners for not keeping down rabbits on his run. In defence he said : I have employed a man with ferrets and a pack of about 30 dogs and have also been using bi-sulphide or carbon, and stopping up the burrows. The rabbiter has been on about three weeks. He obtained, on an average, 150 rabbits per day, but what numbers were smothered in the holes it was impossible to saj 7 . I have felled about 80 acres of scrub and bush, so as to deal more effectually with the rabbits, and have also in the course of construction about a mile of paling fence between Mr Moore and myself, The bush has been burned within the past three months - All the properties in my district are about the same. lam getting my land fenced with paling fence, to keep other people’s rabbits out and my own in. In my opinion it is impossible to destroy the rabbits without clearing the bush. There are two men on now, and I intend getting another as soon as possible. Good men have been hard to get, and I could not get a suitable one sooner than I did. The rabbits had certainly more “ fling ” during shearing time, and increased a good deal. I used the bi-sulphide myself, and my boy was about with dogs while I have had no rabbiter. I consider that every day I am taking efficient steps.

Mr Bennett was fined £4 and costs for not having taken efficient stops within the time specified by the Act after receiving notice to do so.