RABBIT NUISANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2599, 16 May 1887, Page 2

RABBIT NUISANCE.

A meeting of landowners was held at the County Council Chambers, Masterton, on Saturday afternoon, at the request of Mr Drummond, Rabbit Inspector, .to discuss what action should bo taken to more effectually deal.with the extermination'of the rabbit-post. The meeting, which consisted of about fifteen persons, was presided over by. Mr Drummond, who stated that the meeting was called for the purpose of giving landowners a chance to dißous-f. or suggest a bettor mode of dealing with tho rabbit nuisance. Ho referred. to. tiro meetings that had recently beeii held' 'at the Upper Plain and Opaki, wliere.tli'o settlers.had set apart the 23rd, May,""as the clay they would simultaneously-lay poison." Ho believed the only- way to successfully cope with this-rabbit pest was by uuited action, It would not do for one person to lay poison to-day, and his .neighbour some weeks later, but to get everybody to start poisoning at the same-time He then called upon anyono present to express their views on the subject. Mr D. Guild did not think, for his own part and that of his noighbors on. the To Orn Oro, that there waß any necessity for thorn to co-operate on any given dato to poison rabbits. They had always been able to keep them down by trapping In answer toMrR Cade, the Chairman stated that settlors wore not-com-pelled to poison, so long as they took the necessary.steps to clear their property of rabbits.

. Mr. Cade ,was nf opinion, that old rabbits would riot touch poison, and that it was merely a waste of money to lay it. His experience lad taught him that by means ot the traps the greatest amount of good, was done. Although ferrets wore numerous, they did not seem to make much impression in lessening the rabbit pest. During the present season he had trapped' cixty ferrets, and neighbors near him over a hundred, wliichwas'aconolusivo proof that there were numbers of ferrets about.

Mr Leo thought Btbats and weasels should be introduced-,,He believed they would have had more rabbits had it not been for the ferrets and eats that had beeniet loose,;; Ho had" found several nests of young..rabbits that had been killed by the ferrets. Although ferrets dpan.immonsaamountof good thoy will ■notronlaiif iil.&ii'e'pljice.. It was only ■ natural that some ferrotß should make for .tho homesteads, but those that had run wild would never vonture near, He , knew of thousands of acres where only a j few ferrets had been turned loose. • ].[■ any good was'to' bo. accomplished they would have to'turn' out larger numbers. Rabbits had increased rapidly of latu owing to the dry season and it would ■ take a lot of vermin to diminish them. On an ostace of Lord Beaconsfield's at Home, rabbits were principally kept down by their natural enemies, besides following ujiaud trapping after poisoning. Mr Cade considered it was utterly useless for one hindow n or to go in for trapping and another to leave it alone, The same remark applied.to the laying of poison. He was also opposed to the sottinjj traps deep. In reply to Mr Lee, Mr Drummond said it did not matter what stops were taken to get rid of the rabbits so long as means'woro : adopted to clear the land of thorn.. '• ,

Mr Hawkins did not know whether he had a right to be present at the meeting, He had been a groat sufferer owing to the rabbit post, and would willingly give therii the benefit of his experience:' It was a very essential thing v after poisoning to follow up steadily by digging out, shootim; aud trapping. The latter should not bo commenced within a month after po.ismiiiig. It was no use laying poison if they did not follow the old rabbits up, Each holder should be compelled to follow up after poisoning. He had taken a £»ro;\t deal of trouble in procuring fori'ots and had turned large numbers loose, but did not think they would be able to thoroughly master the rabbit pest until stoats and weasels were introduced. The Government had promised to assist in importing stoats and weasels, but the steamers did not like the idea of conveying them. Tlioy would have to try aud get'tlieni to do so. Prom his own oxperiouoe he did not believe in summor and second poisonings. Tho host time to lay poison was in May, but not to go over tho same ground twico. That was the oxpeiience of both himself and Mr John Morrison. He believed that some rabbits would oat poison without having any effect upon them. His own suspicion was that phosphorus .did not have tho desirod effect. ' His oxperiencb had taught him to only poison once and then follow up as ho had already suggested. If this policy had been pursued all ovor 'the Wairarapa they-would not have been, called there to-day to discuss the-quos-.t'on.

Mr B. P. Porry expressed t-ho pleasure ho felt at being present-to hear tho experiences and opinions of others. Everyone had their own ■ peculiar method of dealing with tho rabbit "nuisance'. For somo time he he had been mixed up with rabbits, and Buffered a great deal, This meeting was called for tho purpose of taking united action to destroy them and ho did not think it could bo mora successfully accomplished than by poisoning. He did riot think they could do away with tho pe3fc by-'; mere trapping. It was pqssiblo that some : old rabbits would not take- tho prison, but he folt convinced that was the only way. by,, which'thoy could, pffectually destroy them. Be agreed with the Inspector-that a day should bo fixi.'d so as to enable o«oryon'e

who had rabbits qn' their property to poison simultaneously. Those who believed in trapping-or other means, let them do whaVver they considered best. It did not matter what stops were taken so long as tlia rabbits Were got rid of. He would be willing to'move that a day be set apart by the Inspector for poison, ing. . ■ -...'.'■ Mr Guild did not think it necessary to Qx a date He would like to see tho Rabbit Act worked differently. Runholders ought not to be allowed to say how or by what means, the rabbits wore to bo destroyed. It was the Inspector's place to do that, and the matter should bo left entirely in his hands. ' If a person neglected to carry out tho Inspector's instructions he'should be fined. ' Mr 3. Cameron 'thought it was a good move to take united action He had laid largo quantities of poispn, bu,fc it had litto or no effect owing to thY rabbits oyerruning his land from adjacent properties, and consequently |io had to. suffer the same penalties as those who hardly took apy steps fo' destroy 'jihg

pest, Ho was certain that if tlioy took united action and inflicted; heavy fines on those, who neglected to take action, they would-diminish the number of 'nib-, hits. '. '.',;■ Mr Ciide 'did not think it was jußt that the matter should beleft in the hands of afow.; It could liot be expected that by merely .spending £lO it. would do the same amount of gobdtta £IOO. He thought •they might just as. well do; nothing as .to lay poisoiionlyonce.,' He'had laidpoison. on a.paddook of BO acres.fourteen times, and stiir rabbits could be found there* • He had.caught a rabbit five years old, the other day,'ori.land that had.bee'n poisoned,. J: ; '. ■■'■■■■■ '. '■/' Mr Guild, said ho. would like to see the. Inspector: miike, an examination every month, soas'to'see,.that'the necessary precautions were token to keepdowfi the increase of rabbits. 'He regretted to see J that most of those interested. in, this; question were not present. So far as he could see, the meeting could do no more than had already been doue,'.and- moved a vote of thanks to/ the Inspector for calling the meeting, and giving the settlew a chance of expressing thoir opinions. This was seconded by Mr Cade, who jnatVthe romark that they were as wise' 'lWaa when they first came. "'■" ; ;Mr Druiuraoiid.expiesaod the duap-L pciutment ho felt at not seeing, more present, aud stated that it w«a.the poorest .attended meeting he had yet'hold... The meetiug then terminated.