THE RABBIT PEST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10661, 17 June 1912, Page 5

THE RABBIT PEST.

JN SOUTH WAjRARAPA. Some days, 'ago !the Te Wharau correspondent cf a con-temporoiry made certain charge* against the officers of the Stock Department, which might lead to the conclusion that settlers were ..being needlessly iharac-sed and persecuted. Tl;o .'ccr.iwponde'nt expressed the opinion 'that winter poisoning for rab'bitls'was fuseless, and 'that dogs sho'iiild 'ho more freely employed. A .rtpiresenfca/tive of the Age has investigate!'-tlie- melbter, and finds that flue charges made against the 'D.epar.tmeniL are entirely without ifc/un- - promiinent ecttler df the East Coast aissetrted- with emphasis .that, .fa*-from harassing .th* settkirs, the Departmental" officeite are doing everything .pneeible .to assist in coping with the pest. "I know cf no set tiler whip-lies 'been v.j/sc jailed," he said. "It is true that ai .few years back ruMfitfj ware numerous. Now, however, thanks vto In'speicf.or Ivcce, the peeit i® well urxlex .control." In. answer to a question as to whether winter poisoning us li'aitoful, the settler replied in the negative. It was, he. said, lahisuird tlo, suggest. that dogs he employed/ tfico they r.>Jfc only, .'scatter •the' rabbits' (broadcast, cut have a" harmful effect yipo'n./.ibreedi'ng | ewes.He asserted that ii'iere wxs,|:ib more effective itime for poiec'nr'ng than, in frosty .• particulairly as this is ,thei .breeding season for raabi'ts. Autuiirni wa.s gewd in, its. way, but- it s' 'liQul'd ibe followed up by winter poisoning and the digging out r.'f hmrows. The settler fttrtheir stated that it wais news to him that the DeparHmwr/it- wias coercing people .to poison in; rn£.'uitdbl'e weathctr. He felt cure this was i\:it ccrrect. So for as whecp taking .poison was eoneermed, they w'elre just as 1 -Eaible to take it in •fcho sunnnrar as in. the winiter.