The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 139, 21 April 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1879.

Mr G. Beetiiasi, M.H.R., lias coi

vened a moeting to consider the rabbit nuisance. It is a matter of regret that an innocent edible quadruped should have to be regarded in tlie light of a nuisance, to be stigmatized as a Colonial pest, and even to throw into the shade the Maori difficulty, There are some people who believe they can solve the question of what to do with the natives, but as yet no one lias arisen among us able to cope with the.rabbits. If such a one does arise greater will he be in the eyes of his fellow colonists than even Sir Julius Vogel. The Hon. the Native Minister will take second place if a Hon. Minister for Babbits is forthcoming. What to do with this Frankenstein of the lords of many acres we know not. By Act of the General Assembly provision lias been made to exterminate the evil, but it is easier to legislate on the evil than to give practical effect to tjie ordinances of our Solons, Some say " poison them," and poisoned a good many are, but it is difficult to destroy, by this means jnore than apercentage.of them, and though the proportion killed be a large one, the balance by their extraordinary procreative powers. soon make up their numbers again. The fertility of the animal is much more than a match for the devices of the Legislature. We

almost fancy, too, that rabbits may gradually accustom themselves to arsenical and other similar dainties with ■ which they are supplied, and in time, instead of expiring after, tasting the cold poison, be all the livelier for it. Poison may help to exterminate rabbits, but it will not solve the problem " How to kill not 90 rabbits out of every 100," but " 100 out of every 100." Nothing less will prove of any avail, Supposing j as many as 99 out of a given 100 were destroyed, we should not then be safe. The hundredth which escaped would probably be an interesting doe, who, in somo shady recess, would shortly begin to train a vigorous family to repossess the country. Shooting them lias been tried with but little success. Hunting with dogs has not been of much more avail. There is also some faith in ferrets, weasels, and other carnivorous animals. The ferret does not thrive here, The weasel will not stand a sea voyage. We hear, however, that a weasel has recently been found out which might be brought over from Europe without much risk of dying en route. If, however, we import weasels, and they increase and multiply till they clear the rabbit off the face of the land, shall we not be ' hoist with our own petard,' When the hungry weasel cannot pop on to a rabbit, will he not devour all the game in the land, Will a lien roost in the Colony be safe ? And when the game and the poultry are all eat up, will he be so obliging as to die a natural death himself, conscious that he has fulfilled his mission, and is no more wanted, or will he attack larger game. The real rabbit exterminator is population, Jf our millions of, rabbits were near a populous European city they would be regarded as a blessing till the last bunny disappeared into the last stew. But we have not population to cope with the enemy, unless we import a few score thousand of Celestials to eat them, and then, like the weasels, the Heathen Chinee, when their work was done, would require in their turn to be exterminated. We will take another opportunity before the coming meeting takes place to refer to the Act of the Assembly which gives power to any district to abate (if it can) the rabbit nuisance. In the meanwhile we trust we have done our duty in calling attention to a few of the difficulties which surround the epiestion, and in contributing in a small degree to preparing the public for an intelligent discussion of the subject at next Monday's meeting.