TENUI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3303, 7 September 1889, Page 2

TENUI.

(From Our Own Correspondent), The unprecedented continuance of dry weather in the Wliareama and Cashpoint district is fraugui with serious consequences to the settlers; stock are dying in large numbers, and those tlmt.survivo will clip but a small weight of wool. It is also feared that tlio lambing which is just commencing on most of the stations 1 will be but indifferent, for even should rain occur at once numbers of the ewes are too poor and weak to roar their young, The evils of the dry ■ season have been intensified by tlio , very largo and general increase of the rabbits since October 1888. Sheep farmers do not fully appear to realise that if rabbits are numerous stock must go short of feed, From what is 1 reported in the district several of the larger nun must have had not less . than 50,000 to 80,000 rabbits to provide for up to tlio commencement oftho poisoning season. Take tho lowest qf these figures, and say that ton rabbits consume and destroy the 1 food of ono sheep, and it is evident that these runs must have been taxed to feed equal to 5000 more sheep than the ordinary carrying capacity,—and this during a season unequalled for shortness of grass. Tho engrossing topic of conversation in the district just now is the action of the rabbit inspectors in failing to destroy the pest. So much interest was evinced on the occasion of tho cases being heard here on Monday against Messrs Johnston, Handysido and Androw, that the Public Hall, in whjch tho Court was held., was packed with representatives from all parts of the district.The principal sourceot attraction to the Hall of l Justice was, that the reverend owner of lea, well known for his forensic powers, was to do battlo with the Inspector, and it was anticipated that they, the Ml, and lawyers would have a sultry time, But alas! tho encounter did not eventuate, as the case was adjourned, 'and will be heard in Mastorton en the 18th inst, and it is safo to predict that there will be a crowded house on the occasion. As you will have received a report of the evidence in these cases it is useless to recapitulate it, but it may not he out of place to mention the opinions expressed by settlers who were then present. Surprise was manifested on all sides that the R,M, would not allow Mr Handysjde to produce evidence to prove that he had done everything in reason to eradicate the pest, and that he had succeeded in reducing it to a minimum. On tips score it is useless to blame the Magistrate or the Inspectors, for it is part and parcel of tho Act that the opinion of the Inspector is final, and that .there is no such a thing as a man being allowed to prove not guilty. The thing, howover, that no fellah can understand, is why an R.M. and learned counsel are necessary at all to impose the penalty, for it would save a vast amount of expense and trouble to tlio Inspector, so soon as he had arrived at an opinion that rabbits had not been effeotually dostrayed, if bo fined tho unfortunate settler £5 at once, Then why, ask settlers, is it necessary for the Rabbit officials to employ a solicitor who, rumour says, benefits to the extent of £2 2s per case. Apparently all that is required to Becure a conviction, is to prove the service of the notice to destroy, and that itjhas not been compliod with, and tho nenalty is imposed. Barely to effect this

modicum of formality it is ■• not requisite' to oinploy two guineas worth of legal aoumen from a distance of thirty miles, Tho question is repeatedly asked to what length do tho Babbit Inspectors intend to go in prosecuting settlers. Is it to ombraco all or onhj a ftw, also is it intended to make it an indispensiblo condition that the last rablrit shall be killed on a property. Opinion seems to point that a limit should bo fixed in some way. lor, say tho settlers, if wo are to exterminate the pest root and branch we must succumb. Perhaps it would bo woll for the Chief Inspector to really arrivo at some solution of what it is really reasonable and practical to expect settlers to 'do. To expect an utter eradication of the nuisance is futile, and if attempted lYould mean the extinction of tho sheep farmer in a very short time. . Of courso theofficials who have to carry out an arbitrary law, naturally receive a vast amount of abuse, and any word written upholding their actions is likely to receive but scant favor, still in fairness something must be said in extenuation of some of their recent actions. It must not be forgotten that if laxity in destroying the pest is allowed at the present time, when breeding has commenced, and when in the face of a very dry season the increase is likely to bo enormous, there may be a repetition of what happened since the cessation of poisoning in 1888, and it is protty evident that it is to prevent this that the Department is unusually active. The seriouß increase of the pest during the last twelve months has been very detrimental to the district, and if the Inspectors can, without xmdubj pressing tho settlers, prevent a re-occurrence of this, they will do a good work, and save the community thousands of pounds. One. doe killed at this time means really the destruction of an almost incalculable number. " A stitch in time saves nine" is apposito to the present position of affairs, The roads throughout the district are in firstclass order. A new bridge in course of erection on the Ten'uiEketahuna Road near Messrs Lang- . don's homestead will be a great boon to. travellers, for tho old structure, I which was in an ordinary flood covered with from four to five feet of water, was most dangerous. An arsenic spring is the latest find in the district, the locality being near Messrs Cameron Bros' homestead in the Mangapakiha Y alley. Liko the rabbits the population in this neighborhood is increasing at a rapid rate, so much so that the publio Hall is quite unable to hold the number of people who attend religious services, meetings, and dances. The trustees, fully alive to the inconvenionco, have decided to effect large additions, the timber for which is on tho ground, To show that Tenui is not in a somnolent condition, it may bo noted that a syndicate is in courso of formation to start a co-operative store with a capital of £5,000. If properly supported by the large landowners, this enterprise should prove a success, But a small area of land is under plough this season. This is to be deplored; for, would settlers turn more attention to growing turnips and other crops for winter feed, there would not be such mortality among stook, It is somewhat surprising that in this district which under normal conditions produces an enormous amount of spring and early summer feed no attention is made to harvest it and turn it into ensilage, whioh could be effected vory cheaply , by stacking in tho ordinary mannor with the addition of pressure,

A rumour is current that the main road between Carswell's and Kahumingi is entirely maintained out of Castle Point rates, and that settlers resident within Wliareama Road district, a part of the WainuioruEiding, do not pay their quota towards it, although they use it largely for traffic. Perhaps our county members will take 'the hint and inquiro into the truth of the report,

Much sympathy is expressed for our esteemed fellow settler, Mr John Morrison, of Blairlogie, in his serious and continued illness.