Correspondence.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3321, 28 September 1889, Page 2

Correspondence.

THE RABBIT QUESTION. TO THE EDITOR, Sir—At. tho meeting to consider the rabbit question on Wednesday evening, Mr Maunsell suggested that some rule should bo laid down to guide the Inspectors as to when they should summons a settler to Court for neglecting his rabbits. Ho advanced for the sake of argument—that the Inspector should put on a man with i pack of dogs, guns etc, and if he could, ip a £{iven time, catch a number to be decided upon, it should prove neglect. He asked for other suggestions but none were given. I attach great weight to Mr Maunsell's opinion, for he has studied the question earnestly for many years, and has been fairly successful in contending with the pest, but I cannot agree with him in the present instance. I will endeavor to give you my view of tbe situation./ For what reason was the ijubbit Act put upon the statute book J To profceoir the industrious, careful settler from damage and loss, apd from tho bad managing and careless !)eigl)lw, Why are Inspeotora .appointed J To carry out the Act, to.find out who are the careless, bad managers, to make them do their duty, or cause them the pains and penalties provided by the Act. If an Inspector is fitted to occupy that important position ha !)? able to

distinguish between the,so two classes of settlers, He will not summons a fni'iner to Court because ho happens to find a few rabbits in one corner of his property, lie would rather take a general view of the management of tlio property,' and of what was likely to bo the result, judging from past management. I have no hesitation in saying that an Inspector impairs bis influence in the district by such prosecutions as that of Mr McGregor. If it was known before tlio case came into Conrt that Mr McGregor had exterminated the nbbits on the land complained of, I ask why did not they withdraw the case rather than place themselves in a position to he adversely criticised by all right-thinking people. It seeins to me to have been a grave error in judgment, to say the least of it. I will now refer to another point. Bv advertisement, June Ist was proclaimed as the date upon which evoryone was to commence a simultaneous poisoning throughout the district. This edict ms doubtless the result of deep thought and former experience. They considered that the rabbits would take poison better then than earlier in the season. One can scarcely blame the Inspectors when, as I believe, their opinion was endorsed by eight-tenths of the settlers. I hope they now see their mistake. My own experience as a settler has proved to me for several years that the rabbits were poisoned off better in April than in Juno; and evon if that were not tlio caso, I would ask what is. the good of locking the door when the horse is stolen ? Why put off killing the rabbits until they have done all damage they can by eating all the autumn feed, I maintain that it would be far bettor to poison 75 per cent, of tho rabbits the first week in April than to put it off until Juno, and poison 95 per cent—the 0110 means profit, the other loss. Hence it will bo seen that the number of rabbits found on a property is not always a criterion as to whether or not the property is intelligently and profitably managed, and that Mr Mamisell's test will not- answer, We can afford to have a limited number of rabbits during the summer, and not suffer much loss, but if we would sheep farm profitably, they must be destroyed early in the autumn, I have poked up the Inspectors,because I believed it to be for the good of the district, but I have a great respect for all of them. I believe them to be tliffrightmen in the right place, and capable of doing much good. Let them make frieuds of the settlors. Let them advise and consult with them! Let them be firm, but avoid all needless irritation ! To the settler I would say: Make friends of the Inspectors 1 Help them as much as possible in their difficult task 1 If we pull together we shall soon bo in a better position. A house divided against itself is sure to meet tlio proverbial fate,

I am, etc., William H. Beetham. Masterton, September 27th, 1889,