The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1886. SHEEP AND RABBITS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2317, 10 June 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1886. SHEEP AND RABBITS.

We have reason to ba thankful that at last scab has disappeared in Wairarapa North, and it is satisfactory to know when Mr Drummond was put in charge of the Whareama District the right man was piit in the right place, and a. difficulty which had seemed all but insurmountable was conquered. But though the scab scare is over sheep owners, the Shepherd Kings whose flocks cover n thousand hills, as well as the small holder, who can count his sheop on his fingers, are still in ttouble. The Ehadainanthine Department has latterly been making a raid on sheep lice and complaints are geceral of the losses and inconvenience to which the owners of sheep are subjected by the faithful administration of the Lice Clauses of the Sheep Act. It is affirmed that the New Zealand regulations for the destruction of lice are more stringent than those which prevail in older colonies where the art of growing wool has reached ut more advanced stage than in this colony. It is also contended that not only is the act too stringent, but also that its administration is far stricter in this district than in many other parts of New Zealand, As the one department has chaige of both sheop and rabbits and there is reason to believe that the rabbits have had their own way a little too much of late, it seems somewhat strange that the department should have been hunting that comparatively harmless insect, the louse, instead ot engaging tlie more formidable rabbit pest; We understand in the Lower Valley the rabbit difficulty has been virtually suppressed and the department. is entitled to credit for the success which has followed, its efiorts in this part of the district but in the -Wairar. raiia North the insect pest appears to have nbsorbed the energies of the inspectors and it is a question whether they have not neglected the The attention of the Legislature is just now directed to the adminiatraof the department to which we havo ;

retired ami we trust that the result of their cleliliemlions wiil lie to give rabbits a lutle less rope, anil ease. off the penal. clauses lico. : The ■annual report on the ralibit imisuncH by Mr. Bayleythe superintendant Inspector is very discouraging. He is not prepared to deal effectually with the question. ■ He admits his inability to do more than check the increase, of the. pest and holds Out little or no lib] ie of exterminating it. We do not know whether Mr Bayley is or is not the best available man to administer the rabbit depai'tnient. If he is tlifi outlook: is most unfavorable, The only gleam of hope in the Wairippa appears to be that rabbit killing operutions have been more successful in the Lower Valley than in the Whareama district, and it may be possible fer tile local staff to produce better results in the northern country in the future than have been obtained in the past,