THE LATE RABBIT CASE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 635, 3 December 1880, Page 2

THE LATE RABBIT CASE.

[To the Editor of the Wairarapa Daily.] Sib,—A letter on this subject in your issue of the Ist instant,signed "John Tuck," is oalpulated to mislead persons unacquainted with Mr Tuck and his rabbits. There are several statements in that letter which are quite contrary to fact. It is not true that there are a number of persons in the district who have more rabbits than Mr Tuck has, and are put neither to expense nor trouble. Nor "is it true that I told Mr Tuck that I had not time to serve notice on Mr Cave, as an executor in the estate of the late Mr Bannister. The land in reapeot of which Mr Tuck was fined is, a separate block some miles away from his farm. His farm, about 800 acres, being netted in, is comparatively free from the pest. The remaining 600 acres, known as Brandon's clearing, in the Rangitumau, is Simply overrun with rabbits, to destroy which Mr Tuck has hitherto failed to take efficient ateps. With the assistance of another man I killed over 280 rabbits on that ground in one day a few weeks ago. Nothing like that number .could, be.obtained on the late Mr Banninter'a lands, and yet Mr Tuck would have the public believe his statement that there are more rabbits on 50 acres of this land than, on the whole of his 1200 acres—a comparison, moreover, which is quite pfair, considering some 800 aores of-Mr Tuck's is netted in.' -

With regard to my last report on Mr Holmes', property, I have since been over the ground with Mr Holmes himself, and find that what I took to be his land is really native ground. This extends some, chains across the Waipoua, and I had always been under the impression that that river divided Mp Holmes' from the native land, Within Mr Holmes's boundaries the rabbits are kept in check and feed is abundant.. .'

Mr Tuck statec he has spent far pipre per acre to destroy the rabbits than iinyorie else in thedistrlot. This'may be so with regard to the farm on the Opaki; but it is certainly not true, as yet, about Brandon's Clearing, which' has been for months, and' is yet, a perfect hflt-bei Proceedings,were not against Mr Gibson, bppause he had been malting great exertions to defrayse_ ralibii a.:on his, land, for the neglect of which meaju,rea Mr luck was fined,;'''.. : ■.;,: ',-:J ;] ;■'.•'!; lam, ftp.', ;.■ >i . :'■ B. Qitamb