THE RABBIT PEST

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 521, 9 April 1920, Page 2

THE RABBIT PEST

PRESENT SOURCE OF PROFIT.

When the Parliament of New Zealand passed drastic legislation for the exterinir.ation of the rabbit, no one could have foreseen that a day would come in which the skins of bunny would be so high in price I la-re would arise a conflict of interest betw.cn land owners and trappe Rabbits are as great a nuisance as ever to those who are not making money out of the skins. Large'quantities of pasture are destroyed by i ahbi ts which otherwise would be' producing wool, meat, or butter and cheese. The difference is the skins now fetch such a high figure in Kurope and America, that were the rates likely to continue the establishment of rabbit warrens would become a payable industry. -Meanwhile it manilestlv not to th" int.-rest of the trapper, who looks to the future, to kill off the young rabbits. Of course quite the opposite view is taken by the farmer, sheep grower and grazier, who employ trappers to kill oil rabbits so as to save an enormous loss ot f< ed.

■\ 'si,a 1 hern t vchange states: "liao'e i re aam to believe that som > farmers have practically -acriticed steep i ' labbits in badly intested diiiricta." il is slated that in some pla os instead of being paid to kilt labbiis, trappers are allowing a bin m in I ■■ 11• low ners for all they caleh. Il that s correct it simply means t■ n line 1 o defeat Ihe object lor v. loch the leoislalion was passed, namely. extermination of th ■ rabbi!. in :he iuiere-1 oI farnie s and gra-

/.I.MS. Meanwhile Government rabbit in ,s|u> -tors .110 busy Ining tn enforce t In- provisions <>l" tin' Rabbit An. !v,t i v i ndeavour is In>in«j. used 1" 11,'t■ .cut the (hinder fcil' rabbit warnii; i>«• inLi allowed tn exist any- \. 11■ in New Zealand. This is sound | j->1 'cy, I'of wool and meat ai'e of more import all1■ e than fur garments, uui (\vi fell hats for men and women. Added to this in the fart that prices for I'ahbit skins cannot be expected P> remain for long at anything near t!ic present hinh Ml I ,lire, and if rabbit' are allowed to increase now. New Zealand would be in a worse >ta : e than ever when value of skin> return to norma!. The wool. meat, and dairy industries are. of too great importance to the Dominion to be endange.vd in the future because at present rabbit skins can lie sold at high figures.