THE RABBIT QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 23 April 1884, Page 2

THE RABBIT QUESTION.

I From the Wairarapa Standard. A public meeting of tho Otaraia, Wainuiruoru and East Coast settlers was held on Saturday last, at the hotel, Martinborougb, to consider tho slate of tlie rabbit question in these districts. "Tlie meeting was called by Mr Coleman Phillips, and much interest was manifested in it, ■ Upon the motion of Mr J. Martin, seconded by Mr Harris, Mr Coleman Phillips took the The Chairman, ia opening the meeting, briefly sketched the points which he thought tho meeting should discuss, arid moved "That a Rabbit. Board be fojmed,tobe called tlie Otaraia and East Coast Rabbit Board."' Inanswer to a question from Mr Buchanan, the Chairman said it would be a voluntary association of all the settlers, with' monthly meetings to discuss various matters in connection with the rabbit nuisance. It would not interfere with the inspector in any way. If there was any complaint they could moot and consider it, and if the inspector insisted on a vigorous suppression of tho rabbits they could meet and see what was to be done. Mr Martin seconded the motion pre form, and it was carried unanimously without discussion. The Chairman then laid tho next, motion before the meeting: "That any , landowner in tho district can become a member, the fee for membership being ss-'

Mr Martin suggested that the Chair- ■ man should state the object of the meeting. ■ " Mr 0. Tully considered that -there should be an expression of opinion to Icurtail* the power of inspectors; and to. get at the proper steps to be taken for successful poisoning.. _ At 'present they were all working one against another, because each-was, 'working in a different way. What thoy wanteil was united action. " .Tho Chairman said the real question before them' was how to successfully suppress the rabbits. .As Mr Tully. .remarked, united action was-necesfaryj They could meet occasionally tQJ&fg&l what was to bo done.' JiMBH '; Mr Tully—Will the Board deIHH ,tlie lino of action taken by the InspSQH : The Chairman asked that the meet- / ing should not condemn the Inspectors yet. Mr Tully—Well, not thorn, but the power placed in their hands. / Mr Martin—A Committee would have no power at all. i. Mr Elgar thought they could -not attempt to. breed ferrets ; with an entranco fee .of 6s. It would require'more like £2O to carry out tho . breeding. ' • The? Chairman ; said , they could decide at, present not to breed ferrets, though some of the settlers had ferret houses. ...... ... • .... Mr Martin considered, that /landholders should be compelled to breed ferrets. '. : " Mr Tully was of: opinion that little or nothing could be done unless the * Inspector was brought under the power of the Board. ;' If an Inspector.-took a different vieWof'the': Board' as to the meapa take# : t6j subdue' the' rabbits, what could they dofc-They really had no power! '' " The Cbair'mitn: doubted itfewould go ; against any ' particular resolution, passed by the Board. . V Mr Elgar said they could only come forward voluntarily and breed ferrets,

or make somo representation on the subject to the Government. Mr Buchanan,said tho' business of the meeting presented itself, from two points of view. He \took it to be a local question for that, district, and from that.point he would notsay much as he was not a settler-in those parts, The only'services a Board could render would be by settlers subscribing a ratio rate,' discussing the subjectoccasionally, and perhaps communicating with the Government or. Inspector. Mr Tully had suggested that'the Inspector should be under the power of the' Board, but this could not bo brought.about si\ve by. an alteration'in the Act. This method, however, liad been already proved and worked..unsatisfactorily,, and when the. present Act. was passed ■ there was scarcely a dissentient voice. Under the old systetn sottlers were found to come in contact with their neighbors, and consequently no Stops , were taken and the rabbits spread ruin all over tho colony. With regard . to the other aspect of the question, that mooted by Mr 'fully; the administration of the Act and whether the Act was what it ought to be, lie would like to hear, the opinion of tho mooting.. Those presont were practical men,, and from their opinion'lie could gather what.was best to bo done, .The raeptr itig could tilsp pass a resolution as to the working of the Act. . ' " Mr Harris thought the meeting should consider what were efficient steps in suppressing rabbits, is things were now if the Inspector had a down upon a nmh ho could ruin him, - whilo another got off fi'eo, Mr Tully considered that no one man should have the power to ruin another, and they should protestagainst it. Mr Harris said there .was not ono runholder but what came under the Act, and he could not understand how it was that the Act was not put into • force with all. The best thing they * could do would bo to form an Association. As for ferrets ono man was breeding them while another was ■ destroying them. A large number of ferrets had been trapped upon his own place.

Mr Buchanan remarked that the Rabbit Act was not the only one which gave great power to individuals. Judges, (Resident Magistrates, and Justices of tho Peace had great latitude in many matters, Under the Sheep Act inspectors had the same' power as under the Rabbit Act, It might be true that a Rabbit Inspector could ruin a man, but there had been no such charge made at this meeting and he knew of 110 case. If such were the case it should lie stated, and then a resolution would bo passed and sent to the Colonial Secretary. Tho motive which prompted the passing of the Rabbit Act was because it was impossible, vhere rabbits were swarming, to obtain convictions. All sorts of evidence was taken, often most conflicting, and the landowner got the benefit of the doubt. If the meeting passed a resolution condemning tho way in which the Act was carried out an amendment would perhaps follow or another .Inspector be appointed, The Chairman said it came to this: Whether this meeting was to condemn the Act or set to work for their future good. His purpose was to keep down tho rabbits, Ho would propose the names of several gentlemen, and if the Inspector was hard on any particular settler, let him come to the committee and say, "Gentlemen, will you come and inspect my run for yourselves?" He thought that the old Rabbit Trust had worked very well. Mr Buchanan was of opinion that the Rabbit Trust had been, a failure in that district.. k . Mr Martin—l do not think so. Mr Tully—The Inspector may condemn any action of the committee, and they could do nothing, for the power was in-his hands, Mr Martin here seconded the resolution, which was curried. The Chairman then submitted the names of several gentlemen to form a committee.' Mr Martin did not seo his way clear : to work upon the committee. He thought that two independent persons should be appointed—persons residing, outside the district—to inspect the rabbits 011 runs, and report concerning the Inspector's opinion, He doubted if persons residing in the district could do this with any satisfactory results. No doubt a check was needed, and two independent referees could be appointed —the landowner pay the expenses of their inspection. ?.•; Mi! Elgar would like to know more of ; the duties of the committee before consenting, to act, j '•Mr Buchanan,- in answer to a remark from Mr. Tully, said that thero already .check upon the Inspector, ,Jf ho'conducted his work in an unfair manner, lie could bo removed ; but he did not expect to find any man appointed by the Government acting in an unfair manner. ; Mr-Harris—l want to know what

are" Efficient means f 1 The Inspector BRfot tell me, and yet lie says I must Pake them!.'-••• ' I •■Mr Buchanim—Tour efficient steps would be shown by results. - Mr Tully--But what means would gain tho results'! : The Chairman hero read from some iiotes frhat ho considered. necessary Bteps to be taken, ' A general conversation ensued, and the opinion was expressed that there were' some old rabbits that would not take the poison, and would hayo to be 'destroyed with gun or by' ferrets! '■' Mr Martin remarked' that if the Inspector troubled the settled now, it would :do more harm than good. Mr Bachanaa—lf the Inspector is compelling the. destruction of ferrets let the resolution be passed. " Mr Blgur said the Inspector should see that every run' was thoroughly poisoned. ; ' ' Mr Buchanan said he had been told ~by a rabbiter in his neighborhood, a ' thoroughly' honest; man, that after a " summer's ■ breeding, the.rabbits, wero ••' less in number'owing to.ferrets, .This ' raSn only foarid one nest of young ones, ' the; -others • being - old 1 ratbits. This rabbiter .was of - opinion that ferrets 1 -would'do alltho business, •, 1 ' -The-Chairman .agreed that ferrets' were the best means. ( It the present time it was costing him 1350 a year

in r'abbiters to keep the pest down, To poison the whole run was monstrous, for a rabbit was rarely seen. The Rabbit iuspector said he had none, but for all that he was trapping them daily. .. .- Mr Harris—l have used fumigate and hayo destroyed ferrets as well : as rabbits, and I therefore do not believe in fumigators. The Chairman—l and another have tried to breed ferrets but have not, succeeded. To turn them out you must get them from Auckland, Mr Tully— Wo may resolve upon a line of action, but the Inspector may not approve of it, The fact was he had too much power. Tho Chairman said that Mr Tully had a block of land peculiarly suitable for rabbits and it was almost impossible to get at thorn, Ho would adviso Mr Tully to fence in his run with netting. (Laughter 1 ) He know it could not bo dono and it y/ould not pay Mr Tully to do it lest he should bo turned off 'by the Native owners. Still, in Australia, bad spots were surrounded with nets to excellent advantage. § Mr Tully—Tho Inspector suggested that I should fence in the plots and dig them out, Mr Martin—We must see that the Inspector takes no action till tho ( summer months. (Hear, hear.) They must rid tho runs of rabbits by the cr,d of August and then turn out tho ferrets. He believed ferrets would be tho remedy. Tho Chairman—But we have not got them,

Mr Martin—Then let us get them, It was resolved —" That all persons poison their runs during the months of May, June, and July, and finish by the end of July," Mr Tally thought the Inspector should not interfere till the end of July. Mr Martin thought he should see that the work was being carried out. The Chairman—l have purposely left out all mention of the Inspector in this business. \Ye can leave him to do his duty, The next resolution was put and carried, as follows" That Messrs C, Tally J. Martin, 0. Harris, M'Leod, W, Smith, Elgar, C. Phillips, R. M'Laren, and R. Riddiford be a committee; meetings to bo held monthly; five to form a quorum," Resolved—" That at the request of any landowner the committee may appoint one or two of its number to inspect any run." Resolved—"That each settler establish a breeding place for fer retson his own run," The Chairman said there was not much need to take up the gorso question then, He found it a good thing to cut down the gorse and sow grass, Which checked its fresh growth. A vote of thanks to tho chair concluded thn business. At a committee meeting which followed, Mr J. Martin in tho chair, it was resolved to meet on 17th May.