The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1887. THE RABBIT PEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1597, 21 June 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1887. THE RABBIT PEST.

Time brings its revenges. For years Mr 0, G. Tripp has persistently directed public attention to the danger of the rabbit pest spreading from Otago to Canterbury, but people only shrugged their shoulders and declined to taka any action in the matter. Babbits, they said, were Mr Tripp’s pet aversion, the question was a hobby with him, end there was nothing in it, Mr Tripp has now the melancholy satisfaction of seeing his premonitions verified, and those who regarded bis dread of the rabbit pest as, only imaginary are coming round to see that be was always right. From papers submitted to the Legislative Council we gather that Mr J, H. Baker, Commissioner of Crown Lands, has reported that iba Otago rabbits have already crossed into Canterbury, and unless steps are taken to prevent Ibe spread of the pest they will soon overrun the whole of that portion of Canterbury between. the Dobson and Tasman Rivers. He says “I do not think they will head it, as the perpetual snow and glaciers of the Mount Cook range , will probably prove a barrier that even they will not force'; bu*- they will cross the Tasman, and take possession of the country known, as the Mackenzie Country, by entering it on that side.

“ I notice that on the Benmore Bun, along the Ohau River, forming the boun* dary between that run and Canterbury, they have become somewhat ; but, after crossing the Ahnriri River on to the Oamarama Station, I found the country swarming with them, and literally eaten out; in fact, 1 do not think that, even in Southland, I ever savt them in denser numbers than in the Oamarama country ; and it is not to be enpposed that the Ahuriri River, or even the Ohau, will stop them from infesting the Canterbury country if they are allowed to increase as on the lasi-oamed station. '

“ Apart from this, however, I am told that the rabbits have crossed, or have been put acress, the Waitaki on to Mr Miller’s and the Wuitangi Stations, and that they are now found there. I cannot say as to this, but the truth could be ascertained from the department dealing with the matter ; but if such is the case, and differentlmeasures are not taken to check them than have been taken in the Oamarama country, they will inevitably overrun the whole of the hilly country, including the Mackenzie Plains, between the Waitaki and Bangitata Rivers. “The pastoral Crown land, lying between these rivers, let at the present time to various tenants, contain in round numbers 1,535,000 acres, carrying about 720,000 sheep, and yield a yearly revenue of £25,800. If this country should be overrun with rabbits when it is re-let in 1890 the Government will lose at least £IO,OOO a year; for many of the runs could not pay the present rectal if they had to cope with the rabbits, and large tracts of the back country would be abandoned, as is the casenptheMakarora, Hunter, and Ahuriri Rivers, where nine runs have been abandoned since 1879, in which year they returned a rental of £639 to the Canterbury Land Fund. “It is not too much to say that if the country were allowed to become infested with rafibits it would carry a third less sheep, and the wool-money, say from £35,000 to £40,000 per annum, would be lost to thejeountry, independently of the value of the increase of stock that would otherwise have resulted;

“A lax of £SO on each tenant, or a penny per sheep, would, with some assistance from the Government, probably cope with the danger now; £SOO .per tenant would not do it three years hence. How it is to be averted does not come witbie my proviace to suggest; I can only say that it is a real danger which, unless checked, will cause a loss of £IO,OOO per annum to the Canterbury Land Fund, and ultimately nearly a total deprivation of revenue from this source.”

When one turns to read the report of the Commissioner of Crown, Lands Southland, the full seriousness of this forces itself on one’s attention. In Southland, 1,346,554 acres have been surrendered altogether to the rabbits, and the loss of revenue consequent thereon is £32,803. From the report of Mr B. P. Bayley. the - superintending, Rabbit Inspector, we gather that the export of rabbit skins in 1886 amounted to 8,892,372 skins, of the total value of £81,047. This will show the immense proportions to which the pest has already attained, and therefore it behaves the authorities to take immediate steps to check them. What, these steps shall be is evidently a disputed question, BugGeslions have been made to the Agentgeneral to ascertain whether the rabbits could b° inoculated with a disease that would kill them, but that does not appear to be a course that would meet with much fayor. If the disease were once introduced it might result in sweeping off the face of the land the sheep and cattle end other animals. It appears to us the destruction of rabbits is being carried on ip the same way as the destruction of emali birds,

In some districts they are being weeded out, while in other districts they are allowed to increase and multiply. It is no use to go on in that way. Some uniform and systematic mode of exterminating the rabbits must be found, or else we shall ultimately have to clear out and let them have the whole country themselves.