TE AWAMUTU, The So-called Rabbit Pest.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2196, 5 August 1886, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU, The So-called Rabbit Pest.

■ What a lot of unnecessary fuss there is made over what is wiled the " rabbit post " in Waikato. There is no such thing in existence, in fact there are not enough rabbits round the district to furnish a day's sport. I do not make this assertion because I would like to bee them numerous enough to furnish sport, for I never go rabbit shooting, but because I think it a farce to keep a couple of inspectors on pay to . report on an imaginary nuisance. Besides the inspectors there are, I hear, a couple of men in receipt of ten shillings a day and ammunition to keep down those terrible rabbits. I was told of a certain farm in the Paterangi district which was . "iniested" with them, in fact the place was swarming with them. I was round P.iterangi on the 24th looking for pheasants, and of course worked the ground well with my doer, and during the whole day 1 saw only two rabbits. On the farm that w.ib "infested" with them, I did not nee one, and I went over a good poition of it. On the same day a party of five 01 si* with u;uns, dogs and fprrets went for a day's shooting on thn name farm and they only got fourteen for their day's work. The day tin; inspector happened to call there wore more than usual on the place (which by the way clous not signny that there were many) ; this is accounted for by the f;ict that, acting on inatiuctions several adjoining fanners had begun to hunt with dogs, and to bum off, which of course scared the rabbits that weie not killed, ami thuy male for the place alluded to. Evui under tho^c circumstance, the paity on the 24th could not gut moie than fourteen in the day. As a matter of fact rabbits weie ten times as numerou.a few ycai ■. ago as they are now. In the lace of this of th.ngs the laying of poison is hoi nect'-Muy, nor do we want two inspector, besides a couple of professional pabbit UiiWv. at ten shilling-, a d.iy and am munition, I only know of one place where they are imnjurous, and they ate so there him ply because the tutreo cover is so thick, but when they leave jt for open ground they aie killed off as fa-4 an they show out, tor several people make a business, and a profitable one too, of shooting for tha market. John Sanders and his pack <»f dogs can keep them down o\er miles of country, and this too without being paid ten shillings a day by the taxpa\ers. It is time the real state of affairs was made known and the unnecessary expenditure in connection with the matter put a stop to. A« regards the plague in the King country, I am not; in a position without further enquiry to speak upon it, but I understand it is confined to * comparatively small space. This is only hearsay, but I do know of my own knowledge that in thin district there is no such thing as a rabbit nuisance. If reports stating that they are numerous /ire continually sent in to the Government we nball be treated presently to some stoats and weasels to keep them down. With their usual apathy, farmers will not protest against the importation of these pests until the inl-chjef is done. They should make their voices heard in this matter, and members should be uakad to do their best to prevent such a plague being liberated in the North Island. In conversation with people on this subject they all admit that ifc would be a cumo to the country to have the animals imported, yet not one will write to the Press and arouse public feeling on the matter. Every one known the evil it would be, but all are satisfied, apparently, to let the legislative mtxidleut in Wellington import or not, as they think fit. That some of the latter are in favour of doing so is well known, and it now remains for the public to ti-y by every mean* to prevent such a calamity.

, Sporting and Pisciculture. The shooting eeason is over, and— in this distiict at any rate— not a single big bag ivas made. It was hardly to be expected when sportsmen were confined to shooting c>cks, that any good sport was to be got. The acclimatisation society have made a grave mistake in not lowering the license fee when the shooting of hens was prohibited; it looked avaricious, and as a result of their avarice the number of licensed men in this district will be fewer next year than at any time, unless indeed the cost of a license is reduced go much that even the Sunday pot-hunterC will not think it worth while to be without one. There has been so little shooting here that birds— unless killed by the phosphor- j ised oatg, which is to be largely laid for imaginary rabbits — should be more plentiful next year than for some years past. I am glad to .see another effort is being made to stock our streams with fibh, and I would suggest that the next batch of trout sent hece be liberated in the Maugatutu, a tributary o£>he Puniu. It is by far the best trout- ufeam round heie, and is e\en better than those splendid streams that run from Pir&ngia into the Waipa, for it has a veiy much longer course than any of them. Like those streams it is full of splendid spawning grounds, but it would be a better stream for angling than any of the others, and there are still pools innumerable. It empties itself into the Puniu almost opposite Mr Toles farm. When perch can be procured I should like to see some turned into the Mangaohoi, which is just the stream for thorn. Trout would do very well in it, for although it runs for a conBider.able distance through bush and swamp the water is clear and cold, but as eels are rather numerous trout would have a bad time while young. It is strange that after ho much talk about the advantages of stockin"' our lakes with catfish that none can be procured for Ngaroto. They have been applied tor by Mr Ohye, but he »vaa refused, on the ground, I believe, that they would prove destructive to the carp. Now this is all romantic nonsense, for the carp cannot be caught. They will not me to a fly. and owing to the snags in the lake they cannot be trawled for, even if they could be caught in that way. For the same reason netti»a i» out of question. Occasionally a few tfiiall ones are seen, but save when Mr Ohye found a sketeton of one about 18 inches lons, not a single large one has been seen. They are no earthly good there at present, but they gould be aiado useful

as food for the catfish, which, if not aa handsome as the carp— that by the way hide their beauty in the lake —are a good deal more useful, for they could be easily caught whon wanted, and the value of a plentiful supply of such good food at our very doois is incalculable. Had the lot that was s< nt to Kihikihi, wheie there is no Like, been sent to Ngarofco, it would ha\ t) betm \ cry much more to the purpose. (Own Coi respondent.)