CARTLEPOINT RABBIT DISTRICT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 810, 4 July 1881, Page 2

CARTLEPOINT RABBIT DISTRICT.

inspector's report,

v - Sib, —I have the hdnor to submit the'Moying report of my inspection. of .the properties, within this distiict, since date of my appointment. On! May the 18th, I visited' Mrs-Holes!; property at Okau, 'and found that were there, and that a hoy was employed, hunting them. I\then exannnedia'poiv. tiori <jf the Hon John Johnston's'Matak; kunajprope'rty, and found traces of rabbits from pkaii to the Mataikuiia river on the sea coast., I then passed, on. fethe.Ohanga run, , the property of the Jate' Mr Armstrong and found traces-of'them here also. } On tlio iOthj I .visited the Akiteo properties,' but found no /traces of them on - either of these'runs. / I was also infoniied by Mr Murray the manager, that no rabbits have been seen by any of his men north of the Ohariga river! On the 20th, I returned through the Ohanga property,! and met the rabbitrlciller with eight dogs.-, and , gun:.Uti!;enquiririg('.hb | stated tliat the- average .nxunber 'hilled- by/him within the last four months waß seven'' per week.; I then passed through'the centre' of; the Mataiiuua run, and found traces" of rabbits in several places. On the 23rd, I;again examined a portion fofj thia' property from l toMowai| and •found traces of 'tWem ' iii-' Beveral places. .One-man is kepf hunting them ,with! 2' on an afaragi* about' 25 per week. I am of opinion that another j;man should be employed onth'is property,; for although they art ist ai present'seen in numbersi.on.6 man with-arpaokiof do'gs has, xery'Me, change i to ) ieQp j them,under; oh" 25,6uC), aores' of this oountrjf I tjien visited] l !Pakowaii'' where jßalsb-tfoutid earnest, having no actual rabbit dogs, /anvone' employed killing. _I! served' him j wltli'; ft notice, • Ms..,BUggesjgdi that; }ie

hould get dogs and commenco/work at* mco, which lie agreed to do.-:'24th I lassed through Mr Cox's «-j]andlto Mr jiverton's. Mr Liverton harMed a few abbits, - and is regularly ou|on|fie )6rty with-dogS'an(I T 'g|q. • Hr Smith's, and on enquipfoMd that L tllen'via{ed MeßsrB V Leaoli'fl| where "no rabbitshave been seen yet,-and crossed ;he Waitawite into Mr Williams' run, bTcaipe" propfiotor" o? tiiis property. I foitnd • trace's-iof rabbits in the wool-shed pceasionaJly met with on the run. Mi Williiiiiis' was about to engage a man to Icill rabbits and pigs'.- 25th I visited Mi Henrjr there are 'no rabbits 'seen property yet, and on Expiry that they have not yel made tbeirffppffiance any farther down river. I- then passed through the Waitawite _run'down to Smith,, and of 'rabbits - in many places, [k man is kept killing with a pack ;or:Bii.or eight dogs, and averages abontM pair traces oi I'abpits t i on ?'the Crown - adjoining Major Smith's. 26th I examined a por-tion-of Major Smith's "Whar^airia'proj)eHy, where J found liumerotis trKdeV ofrabbits, I, then the Messrs Mauijsell's propertyj where I found traces of rabbits in.::mtmy...plnoe9;--two"rabbit-ki]lei , 8 art employed ( with two packs of dogs, whc kill oa'<an i-average about 100-iper week, and a third . hand- r is-, to -lieVemployec shortly/ | Oii the 27th f iUpecte| Mi- W Williams'. Flag Greek'property, .ali Wou'nc traces of rabbits_ about. the bush anc down Flag Creek.. I also traces, o; them t<; oil 1 - Crosse's' ; whicl adjoins ; 'Flag'' Great. 1 •'* Mv Mr Cross' dd'ftot : dogs,; nordo : they sp tern 'of liillirig,-^,Both tin'speeied,. a portion of; and'"a traces ofihem.T 31sl inspected . the southern - of this Property, ..but j.L, djd.inot see.,so-'man] rabbits nor find so many traces' of then as. on the. previous day, A regular rabbitkiller is kept a pack oi 12 dogs, who kills; on. an 1 average about 45 pei Week, f - ; In- my opinion, this is not sufficient: to. keep them from increasing or this property. June 2nd inspected Mi at .Tenni, and founc tracer mahy >.plac6si- Mi JBelliss has, po rabbit-killer, nor has In W l kbbit dogs. I served hiir with a notice, and suggested that hs should, get.dogs .and commence killing without delay, which ..he. 3i'd" ihSpeeted.'/Jli'' "Wishaw's property ■where I ( saw siime traces of rabbits. Mi Wi'sbaw erbploys a rabbiter, with a small pack.ofi six dogs, who kills from 20 to 8C psr .week.; I apportion ol the \Rev| tf.'C.'Andrew's property, when I -saw- numerous traces of rabbits. I alsc saw—a -few; One man lias been constantlyremploye d V6n>this property) for the last lyeaiiwithl tf-pack of-frori 20t0'3( good dogs, who kills on. an average.aboui 40' per week/Tain of opinion that one man >ia not Sufficient .to keep the rabbits in check, and . another should be employed ' for' 'that purpose, ,4th .inspects,c the ivles'srs LangdOii'sj; ; Kiclirirdson's',' anc Cameron's- propei-tiesj find 'found traces of rabbits, on each of these places. The first-named has a pack of eight gooc dogs)' 'and" it is intended to commencs hunting-regularly in-a' few days, Mi Bichardson has no actual.labbif: l dogs,' bui occasionally' hunts with- his sheep anc cattle dogs'. Mr Cameron has throe sons (boys), who manage to keep the rabbit! in check on, this property; \llth I visitec Mr Taylor's Manawa prdpertyjjand fount traces of babbits iii many places, • I alsc saw a good many, Mr Taylor employ) one .hand, >.TVith a pack of 18 dogs, whc kill 'on an average's about G5 "per week Another hand is to bp. employed shortly poison will also be tried in some places I tben : visited Mr.' Miller's' p'roperty, s or the Upper Tauei'u, and-'saw-agood man] rabbits jbout the; Taueru river, and alsc on Mr; Hood's property. Mr Miller liai ft nian killing' wiih' six dogs, who average! about 40 pei"'week; T understand'M: Hood,-is Using: poison with good effect 13th I 'visited -Mr iVile's property. Tin manager informed ;me; that he was hunt irig' them' regularly, and. that he-killec about 7 a day with 8 dogs,' and'that tliej intended to fall the bush on the Bowlanc side of-the property, which 'jyilUnabli him to;deal more effectually mth'tiieiri I then inspected the Bowland property Mr Hawkins'was from home, butlsav He informed me that foui men were' employed . laying poison, anc that a man' was regularly at work killing with 14 dogs, who averages about SOpei day. It is pvidpnt, that ( tho work o: destroying rabbits has been;neglected oi this ■ property; as "they hSvS'iricreasec rapidly within the last four months; bui if the present system of'poisoning anc killing with dogs is carried out vigorouslj during the 'winter, I have no doubt bul .the desired«refifect .will be gained. Inexl inspected Mr Perryjs, and.Mr.Kaye's'properties, where .they are hunting regularly .and.also.'.usihg : p oispn .with; go od results! Perry has a pack of 14' dogs, and kills on an averago about 12 a day. Mr Kayc hfff 'fl'''i , abbitef¥ith''a > ' pack' of 20 dogs, who kills, on an averago; ah -week. Tlve rabbits appear/to lis increasing on these last two properties. 14th,' I Jnspepted;: Mr ■' iMa'ce's property, where a regular rabbiter Is kept, with 3C dogs, who ..kills, on, an average about 10C per week. Poisoning has,. not beeii tried hero yet,;bis will 'be in aishorl time, il next inspected' Mr'YallanceV property where three men are employed layinp poison.- -A regular' rabbiter lYilsokepl .With .about 20 dogs, who kills from 12,tc 15. per day. Mr Yalhnce infonnpdmc that he ha,d t . used-poison pn the banks ol toe Taueru river with "marked results. -The'mekn's used for mixing ariddistributing the poisoned grain here are very complete., Mr Vallance and Mr Mace complain, of rabbits crossing into their properties, from the Mastertoh] District. 15th 1 inspected Mr 'Mpmsonlsf Blairlogie :prop^rtyi^here; rabbiter .with ;.. he > Kills an average of<l2 per day; . A'.cottage and kennel has ju'sl been erected near tho centre of the'run for '■ the ;iise of the rabbiter, antipoison be. : used."in-.a-.short,tirae'.' Rabbits have increased . very jwri siderably on this property during the last-fQuv -montlisi and it will the necessary ; to\ employ more than one man,.-to keeji them hi check, On the\ "10th I /inspqcted-Messrs Eider's Langdale .pipperty,\ where thwft i-abbiters are,, employed, witjh 30 dogs, The,y kill on an average 200, per,»week, Rabbits have increased,oq Jhis'jr.qpifcj *dimngr"&d;~l^"'foTO"rmo9|iß7' and. ,Mi Elder is-'about ■ to' c6hiipenc& pdisoiiing.i with - three liands hunting 1 : re{^ilarly t and poison' laid in suitable, places', this 'should be sufficient to keep tliem in cheok for the "present. I then visited Mi; (Reach's pro, perty at Teniu, where I found very few j'abbitsiTliave dlsovvisited Mr.'Stillborn's property, and found yery rabbits upon the place. _ the'wtioU of. the ( properteis in this distiict v where rabbits are fojin'd,' and'smce' the inspection of' the 'distoct,' I 'have \ inform.; you that Mr Clifton has;-engagec another rabbiter Mi Taylor, has engaged anothejr, and Mi Has engaged s has'alsp engaged pigs. l ' lam glad to be able to state thai -the.ownerfl' of property are, taking gi ; ea interest in the destructiW of rkbbitsV and with aj few exceptions, are endeavoring to keep themift oheck as.much juj -pos

Vbl& Nevertheless rabbits aroinoreasins beyond a doubt on seyeral of the proper- J ties jimeclj and will require every offort in thorny of hunting and poisoubg to p?event]tbei| becoming numerous. r - W$ lt9 i ? nd the number ■ ■lriyeaMrjreek amount to 1260 . ; :ihave r &c.j, ; ,:' ; . V • -. .. ■•. A. MOHhichok.