THE RABBIT PEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2355, 24 July 1886, Page 2

THE RABBIT PEST.

The>Committee appointed' to inquire into the best means 'of "dealihg; with.'the rabbit nuisanco reports, as" follows':—'The'' whole question is narrowed down'to two' important,issues :-(l)'It is "desirable- to' amend the present' Rabbit Nuisance I 'Mi (2) Has its administration been, of ;tho efficient charaoter whioh'is indispensable in connection -with' such'an- important question ? With regard to the first quefc" tion, thrCommittee is"of" opiniqf tKal' fche.'prbvisio'ns' of-tfie whole, fairly calculated, to eiFfeob- tKetyir/ poses-for which it'was enaoted.'-;ltj.'.how4i ever, recommends that-it should ;be. so' amended an to provide' for- simultaneous action on the part of land •ownir» v iin'the( rabbits, and thstwbil'stffie! maiimum penalty for-neglect. or breaeh

of the provisions of the Aot -should he increased the defendant in every case shall havetms right to' produce' eti dence in mitigation of penalty juflicttt *ai.id where it'vokeeSls a'higher tribunal,' These amendments, the Oomiliitt(!fl i tliinks,iwili;db iwky with the. only just ground of complaint against the Act. It is aho of opinion that the. .dissatisfaofcion I whichv ; haS ;' against' the 1 'irbitrafy •' powers conferred on the Inspectors willi to % ,lara« 'extent, cease.. : The Committed is"aliiiof opuijon.that, if.the .ratepayers in any on? or more counties'in' thrcolony express by petitionto'the to have the administration oi .ttalibbii' 1 Nuisance- Act':plaee'd inline; trustees elocted. thjflgeljjgj' suph,, request' 'shouldtrustees should beeuipowored to levyrates for the purpose of doing such thiiigr as aro now done by the Government in connection with the Babbit NuisaneV Aot, and also for the purpose of the er.eo- 1 tionofwiro uettiiig fences, or for anyother protective works which may be considered nocosßary by such trustees, eithor in reducing or preventing' the ' spad of rabbits, and that Government' should assist local offorts by granting a subsidy v to the of £1 tQ,e,vcry:, JBI raised by lomlf;rates, L i;and:!Aent'fitf Ujk adimnistration-of the 'Act oirlhVdVftrijK tion of rabbits, subject, however, to thT supervision of the Government Inspector, and,on condition .thafc v ih A ifca^e.?oif". or. 'destroy tlije jiestjttlii. /idmiiusJ4tiim resumed by tho Government, and the powers of tho trustees should :Tje'withdrawDi ;a,rabbit, proof fence is erected---as '-proto'cliivo Crown lands, the Committee is of opinion that the land on which the fenco is orectod, and to the extent of one ohaiuin addition on each side of it, should b» reserved from aalo, and placed under the control of the Chairman- of the Board M Trustees, and-th v it c ')iowei iJ ihb'uf v 'bV granted to any local body to enable it-to enter and expend its funds or any revenue} under its control for the purpose of destroying rabbits?, In aocordanoe <witi ' this opinion tlie ' that the for-. mation of Buch' ; Voided by.' legislative enactment. With regard to ; , tho socond question, viz., the' efficiency \ is with regret that I tjie/Joommittee''fin%. itself compolled to reply emphatically hi tho negative, and to reaffirm, 'iri. the strongest, .manner.',,, that, portion of the re'pprt iof tho! flOnfraitteß io£ 18&, quoted belowC; which { ideals llwlth this portion of'tlie (fudstiorf! however, is strongly of opinion that tM most frequent cause of failure to deatwf rabbits.; and JeqiiJo.quen't^pubHc^.diißatji^' faction,, is the SvidenWnfitness of ;m*any of 'theofheers-for ihe'WportaMnd-lta : ponsible duties imposed upon them;' The various witnesses examined were: natur-. ally reluctant to nameiindiyidr,al,:cas«s,-. but the Committee is hopeihe less .•»)]»; fied that many ."appoihtrao'nts made of men whose previous his'fcoi|'furnished nothing but a record of failurVin other walks of life,. and incapacity a'ad unfitness for any responsibility suoh'&l'is contemplated by this Act, To carry oill its provisions with vigor, it is necessary, that Inspectors should 'be »Übwed f 'fo; exercise large powers, and when"-it*is' remembered that- under, the; present; arrangements, these.:.,same offioersijare, entrusted with the forking of the Sheep;! '.■ let, it will be'at once recopiiseA, that they i curring g i roat"fespUnßibilityi : "aii'd WO. ing ; tho use of" much •-tact '*and" judgment.! The.': Committee* ,think : these considorationg.fcannot, fail to'fgive' weight to the remarks abovo made relam ing to the appointment of officers, and; W impress the Government with the duty, which rests upon theiri'of at once diipens, ins; with the services of men unqualified for such an important duty. The Committae ;feels' bound' to'Jppmt out that, few or no.stopshave been taken by the Government to remedy the utato of affairs indicated by tho question."lndividual sottlers, and groups of sottiers, havo proved again aud againfl that, th« suppression, of rabbits w perfectly practicable in many parts' of the country methods whioh are well known to every settler. The recommendation, therefore, of the committee iB that every inspector in oharge of a district should havo ample' power givon him to suspend or summarily dismiss for neglect of duty any rabbit . agent under his supervision, arid'that 'fife,, services of such Inspector should bo pensed with upon failing to deal 'effeetui's ally with the rabbits tn his district" within■'■ a reasonable time. The' ; Coirimittei' maintain that a firm impartial,' andf.judi-'' cious administration of the Act is all: that,, is necessary to produce the mes't"satis- I ,' factory resultß.

Lastly, the Committee rocognißes thati the;means 'at .present &vailable''.;for,th« destruction of the-.pesfc are'not and that until some discovery shall have been made mora searching and' fatal-in its effects than anything at present known,., their absolute extermination cannot be looked for. Such » discovery is not bayond hope. Somewhat similar discoveries, whieh have proved, ot the greatest value, are dh're'foraj'ihd the Committee recommends the Government to take such steps, including the offer of* bonus, as may appear, to;them best ealoalatedto bring about'the attainment of anok jt desirable object