THE RABBIT NUISANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3788, 18 April 1891, Page 2

THE RABBIT NUISANCE.

Inspector's Report. The following report of Inspector Mackay has been forwarded to the Chairman of the North Wairarapa Rabbit Board : Sir.—Since last meeting of the Board I have visited some of the worst rabbit infested country in the district, and am of opinion that notwithstanding the very favorable season, the pest has not increased to any appreciable extent, while on a large area of country there is a I diminution, caused 1 think in a measure by the natural enemy. This is specially notieeable about the edge pf bush country. Referring to the natural enemy, stoats and weasels have been seen on leu, Langdale, and Mr J. Miller's, ' Upper Taueru, quite receutly. Ferrets are reported as seen on a number of properties, in some cases having been .found in burrows with rabbits recently killed. I regret to state that great mortaK ity occurred in the last shipment of stoats and weasels per Rimutaka, only 63 being delivered here alive out of 856.1 cannot but think the great loss resulted through want of cleanliness, as the boxes in which they were kept were in a most foul condition. In several the carcases of the dead animals were completely dried up, showing thac the bedding (hay) could not have been changed for some time prior to delivery here. I hive written to the ■Wellington Agent of the Loan and Mercantile Agency 0., pointing out the filthy condition in which. the animals arrived. The person in charge of the animals attributes the. loss to being obliged to use wateFTaot pwpe.ri.y_£on4eniedr" The captain of JtHe Rimutaka, however, asserts that j fresh water was supplied as soon as a 'request was made for it, ,and that the condensed water whicTi"~-Jifld_ been used was perfectly good and pure. The medical officer of the ship also corroborated this statement. The Captain further remarked that the casuality commenced prior to anycondensed water having been used. Should the Board continue the importation of the natural enemy, I would suggest that very much great r care be exercised in the choice of caretakers for the voyage, and that such caretakers be placed under the direct control of the captain of the vessel, the captain to reoeive a bonus if the animals arrive in sound condition. The sixty-eight stoats and weasels wete at once dispatched to the 1 properties of Messrs Handyside and Armstrong, at Akitio. Of this number one stoat and eleven weasels died between Masterfcon and being liberated.

Mr J. 0. Sutherland, manager of Manawa station, has recently turned out 37 ferrets, and he repoi ts that they are doing good workf I understand that Mr E. Meredith, of Kiversdale, is about to start ferret breeding on a large scale. I notice that in most cases in the district the ferret breeding establishments are in close proximity to dog kennelp. This is a grave mistake on account of ferrets being liable to take distemper from dogs. Having in view the great loss in importing stoats and weasels, and the good the ferrets have done in the destruction of rabbits, 8S instance the effect on Mr Bullen's country at Kaikoura, Iflßi'of opinion that the Board should either directly contract with persons to breed a certain number of th 3 animals, or otherwise increase the subsidy paid :o ratepayers who breed and liberate them. The latter course is I think preferable, as the risk of loss by dise.se would be much less than if bred' at one or two large centres. I find that several landowners are in favor of the bonus for breeding ferrets being increased, and I have been requested to bring this matter under the notice of the Board. Some i ailures in rearing ferrets will no doubt occur, and it id quite possible that in heavy wet clog land they will not be found of much value, but oa the dry, rocky, and wooded country, the country most difficult to deal with, they will be found invaluable. The good effect will not be perhaps appreciated immediately, and it will be found necessary for some time to keep turning tuenj out in numbers. I "look upon the ferret as paulCuhrlj Y*!»»l?!« t«S turn out in say September and October, at which time they will be very destructive to young rabbits located in the burrows. Many settlers assert that they cannot after poisoning cope with the pest on rough ground unless by trapping. To these I say breed and turn out ferrets in quantity, on such ground aB cannot be hunted with doge,

lam pleased to report that the centract system of destroying rabbits by a payment per capital is fast becoming a thing of the past. Nearly all landowners are now paying a weekly wage, and from what I can see the work is being done in a satisfactory manner under the new plan. Several landowners aro now turning their attentioa to destroying the burrows and under ground water courses, a plan which I feel confident will result in permanent good. I would, however, urge that care be taken in closing up burrows that the natural enemy 13 not entrapped. A great deal of heavy work might bo obviated in dealing with burrows by the careful use of bisulphide of ciibon in those burrows into which rabbits are seen to enter. If only used in such cases there would be a miuirauin of risk to the natural enemy, as it is not likely that rabbits would enter burrows inhabitated by stoats, weasels, or ferrets. I do not, however, suggest the wholesale use of bisulphide, considering that a number of the natural enemy would be destroyed by its indiscriminate use. A large quantity of wire netting is being erected just now in the district which in some instances will cut off some of the worst infested country and materially reduce the spread of the pest. I feel confident that if there is to be any finality in dealing with the pest it will be most necessary to enI courage the wire netting of properties not only round the boundaries but by sub-dividing by rabbit prooftbe worst breeding grounds, thus isolating'.tbem from other portions of thejandfi-. This being effected the various paddocks can be attacked in detail, the burrows, watercourses, and cover destroyed, with the result that some permanent good will be done. Hitherto the work of destroying the rabbits has. been simply of a palliative nature. Scab waa not eradicated from the district until runs were fenced and subdivided, neither .vill there be any finality in the supression of the rabbit nuisance until wire netting is used more extensively than at present.

The abnormal quantity of grass this season will prevent early poisoning from being effective, and will probably necessitate a use of the spade to a very large extent. I am urging settlers to so far as possible take simultaneous action in poisoning, especially on the boundaries not rabbit proofed, and I am glid to say that generally a desire is expressed to act in accordance with the suggestion. In the past it has been a practice with many owners a month or so before poisoning to discharge all their rabbitera. This I think is a great error, tor although in my opinion it is not advisable to hunt and disturb rabbits with doga for a few weeks before poisoning commences, it is most essential to have men with dogs available to follow up the work of poisoning at once. The consequence of discharging the rabbitters in this manner is that they have to live in the townships, sell their dogs, very often at a sacrifice, and when the landowner requires their labor it cannot bo obtained. I would ask owners to desist from this practice, and to carefully pick' out their best men, keeping them in readiness to follow up the work of poisoning. During the month before poisoning they might with profit be employed digging out burrows, or in destroying other harbour for rabbits, and hunting only on some small area of a propert'y in order to obtain sufficient food for their paoks of do^s. Thomas Mackay,