The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 4 March 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1882.

A sruiNa of rabbit cases is continually before thoR,M. Court in this district, and in almost every instance where a conviction is obtained a minimum penalty of one pound is inflicted, Rabbit cases are getting chronic, and it is a question whether the prevalence of them, is conducive to the destruction of the pest, the object which all parties concerned should have, in view. It has been pointed out frequently that' fining a man does not help him to get rid of his rabbits, it rather deprives bk of the sinews of war which are so essential for dealing efficiently with the evil, It follows therefore that the •Legislature has designed the penalties merely as a punishment. Assuming this to be the case do the nominal penajties which are almost invariably inflicted by'Mr Wardeu, act as a deterrent? Evidently such is not the case, or his court would not be so frequently engaged in adjusting rabbit questions. No'doubt the Resident Magistrate recognises that the Act i itself is a severe one, and exercises his discretionary powers with a view to tone down somewhat its harshness. The effect, however, seems to be to perpetuate rabbit cases, and it would; be far better to inflict... substantial penalties with a view to check.-;the growth of litigation in our courts. The time has arrived when settlers on all sides may-bo expected: to understand fully the operation of the Act. If its clauses are unduly oppressive,-they should agitate for their alteration,' A small fine ccmpromise in the, R.M. •Court neither satisfies the official infor-

j inant nor the dofpndant. There is little evidence to show that rabbits aro being 'vigorously stamped out in this district;' and,it is obvious,than.unless the;;local the departments do; .take strict measures to'enforc'eiMeifi powers, and• are backed'up, \ by; the : court when they appealJo i{' ; on just, grounds the result of the Government, raid on rabbits will be a large expendi. ture with very littleresult to show for. it. "If substantial "penalties' were en.-, forced Inspectors would be very careful what cases they brought into court, and settlers instead of submitting as they do now to the ordeul of battle with the Department would avoid it, knowing that instead of risking a pound or two by fighting they would hazard ten or twenty. The change we advocate is making one substantial penalty do the coercive work of twenty small ones. In the long run this would be a saving of expense, and an immense saving of time to settlers and to the government. The only victims under it would probably be the lawyers, and they we trust would be able to console themselves with other chances, If a better weapon than penalties can be devised for working the Rabbit Act by all means let it be tried, but if these are to be the only resort we would like to see them do the work for which they were designed,