RABBITS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 24 June 1882, Page 2

RABBITS.

A recent .Southland News has the following'in reference to the Woodlands Meats, ProierWne Works The work of poisoning off'rabbits in different districts havinglately.-been resumed, the manager of the New Zealand Meat Preserving Compahy's.Works; fit/Woodlands has deemed it advisable to cease operations for a time, -The works:hflionlj been in what may be termed full swing for 60 working days, and : during,' ih'at time nearly 800,000 rabbits were received—the greatest number tohandih'one day being 11,000, : A few..particulars regarding this 'local in- • du«lry ,; may 'bo I 'of interest, as indicating the dimejisions which it might attain, an j its importarice to the district generally, •The area from which supplies have boen i-' drawn had been very extensive, Kingston and Kelso be|ng the most distant places from whiolrrabbils were forwarded The heavy railway charges, however, interfere v to a considerable extent with the despatch of,rabbits.from a distance. With due preparation 5,000 rabbits can be operated <on| daily, and that with ease, and even if t double that number wero received thoy could be disposed of, the only difficulty, to be overcome being, it would appear tks : drying of the skins. In connection with this matter it'may be mentioned tHat from reports to hand there is good reason ■ to believe'that-were it impossible to get the owner? of land within rabbit districts 'convenient : td ; a line of railway to adopt theußO of'traps, tnirei, orfewkitfKeep. ing down'iKs'pests, they wotflap'ot only - facilitate. operations at tho works, but would find tfie J means suggested not lets effectual .thaplh'e use of poison. Of late the payments' made at.. "Woodland for • rabbitfl.alpnehhave been at the rate of £2OOO per month,'and when the money required for wages, fuel, timber, tnd other m^terial t js taken into account, the monthly is increased to more than f double thafaraount. Under these circumstances it is not surprising to lear# that. the.-.(lompsny has been repeatedly asked as could not cgn« tinue operations all the year romd, Their, being able to do so would of cofrfe l»rgely.depen£on the demand for th# >rticle in 'the' Home markets, but apart that, a difficulty procuring the necessaty &few months of the year of considerably lets i.. ; •valiie"*for4reTOng purposes.' At .the.ji■ lajnetime there qeems no rercon'why]. active dhofid not bi carried on? in eaclFfear, butit is hoped /th>t jn .another year tlje Company will see. i ; ■its,way .to,start again, and carry on for a 1 s.: been tho oaseon ; -