The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1886. THE RABBIT MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2341, 8 July 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1886. THE RABBIT MEETING.

The rabltit meeting yesterday reminds uh somewhat of a scab meeting held in the same place some few years ago, at which somewhat similar speeches were made, and resolutions were tabled, calling upon the Legislature to amend the Act in accordance with the opinions expressed by influential and intelligent settlers then present. Since then scab hasdisappeaiedfrom amongst us without legislative aid, Tha difficulty proved after all to be one of administration, A- wrong man was sent away with a flattering testimonial to show that l}e was the right man, and his successor, who happened to be tho right man, quietly and speedily put an end to scab' in Wairarapa North, We should not, be at all surprised to find that the rabbit question, like the scab difficulty, was merely one of administration; We have the broad fact before us that the rabbits have been' kept in check on rough country in Wairarapa South, whereas they have increased and multiplied on similar country in Waira-. rapa North. If the Wairarapa North settlers are anxious, as we have no doubt they are, to get rid of the pest, the obvious practical step whioh thev should take would be to "get hold of the man who has succeeded in combatting the, evil in the. Lower Valley and let him show them how. to dual with it. Jhe attitude of the meeting yesterday was a little inccnsistent, Sortie of the settlers who took part in it evidently desired to teach the Department and the Legislature how to deal with the pest, but their own want of success in coping with it suggests that they should 'be learners rather than teachers. It is notorious that in Wairarapa North some settlers have made a successful raid against rabbits, and others, have made an unsuccessful raid, ' Those who have succeeded do not care to agitate a question they have already solved, and yet they are the very men who are best fitted to express an opinion. Low prices for produce have no doubt in. many instances deprived settlers of "the munitions of war",for dealing effectually with the enemy! The reoent advance lii the price, of wool .will, no doubt, prove the best remedy for this drawback, and if the department!

during the present favorable-season is active and vigilant, wo may li'ipe for r rapid and substantial diminution in the pest. The main value in yesterday's 'meeting fay take to ba that- it- will'put the Department on its mettle. The opiiiions ? expressed iby the various speakers were so .conflicting that we do not attach much value to them. We, however, recogniso that without any material alterations in Hie Rabbit Act, the department is now likely to spme no effort to do all that is possible in Wairarapa North, and that settlors, thanks to a timely advance in the price of wool are now in a position to stand a little pressure from the Department, which under other circumstances they could not have endured.