THE RABBIT ACT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10174, 25 February 1911, Page 5

THE RABBIT ACT.

NATIVES FINED FOR NEGLECT. - At the Mastert'on Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., Tuho W. Te Huki was charged, on the information of Mr T. C. Webb, Rabbit Inspector, with having failed to take reasonable steps to poison -the rabbits on his property. Mr C. T. Elers, native intrepreter, asked permission to represent the accuseds/and on this permission being granted, he entered a plea of guilty. Mr Elers stated that the deaths of various Maoris, whose tangis they had attended in accordance with the Maori custom, liad occupied a considerable amount of time, and put the natives to heavy expenses. An' agreement, however, had now been entered into with the Europeans surrounding, in connection with the carrying out of .rabbit poisoning. i > ;Mr Webb held that the season for poisoning operations had passed. All the white settlers had carried out poisoning work, while the Maoris' lands were still affected. / v In answer to a question by His, Worship whether poisoning could be done at this time of the year, Mr Webb stated that the whether might break at any time. His Worship remarked that it might break earlier in the season also. In view of the fact that an.agreement had been entered into, he would only impose a fine of 10s with costs 15s 6d. Similar .charges were preferred against Piripi Waaka,' Marraina Waaka, and Maora Te Ao, all of whom were fined 10s,, with costs amounting to 19s 6d.