The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3753, 13 March 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1891.

The present Ministry is supposed to bp an apti-stoat and weasel pabinet, a consistent friend gf the amalj settlers' henroost, and a patren of tinned rabbit. If it were to make tip its mind to impose a highly prohibitive duty on the importation of stoats and weasels the result plight bp a blesajng in disguise even to the Pastoral Lords o|f t|iQ Whayeama. It is a pity to se? thousands of pounds of good Wairarapa money sent home to purchase vermin when it might be possible to grow our own stoats and weasels. Assuming that there be a demand for stoats and weasels the supply must follow even though these animals may be more of $ pest than a blessing to the community/ Is rot whiskey" far example more of a pest than a blessing to the land, in the eyes of many, yet it s not considered expedient to out a off supply of it on this ground, and we may take it for granted that as long as there be a good market either for | pr stoats and easels in this colony we gjiall haye to put up with both. The point, however, to which we would draw attention is the expediency of breeding our own stoats and weasels instead of bringing them from home at on enormous cost, It is said they will not propagate in confinement, and that they need for their health and happiness a warm sanguinary meal. But if ! these conditions are the main ones for their successful increase and multiplication why should not an island, say Soames Island, or some other suitable retreat, be set apart as a breeding ground far fhe yprmin ? Gould they not on a small island obtain sufficient exercise to keep them in health, and be supplied with sufficient live rabbits to deter them from following the example of the celebrated Kilkenny cats ? What an opportunity it would giTS the members of thfl Philosophical Society for study, and what au it would be to obtain an intimate knowledge of the propensities and peculiarities of these new colonists. At present there is an idea that when the vermin are turned out they make for the bush, climb trees, apd eat birds. Apparently, if this be so; the tastes of oar stoats and weasels have not, as yet, been educated to che rabbit level, and it might be well to train them for a while in some locality where their diet would mainly have to consist of rabbits with possibly an occasional rat as a hoiirbon. We commend the idea to our Babbit Board deploring as we do, the output of so much good money from this district. It has been suggested that tinned rabbits would make a good local industry,

though we question whether it would pay, but if stoats and weasels c uld be successfully bred their popagation would prove to be a profitable local industry.