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would take them up, and thus reduce a large outlay of the department. (3.) A very marked and substantial decrease of the pest throughout the whole district, and I feel justified in stating that there is not one rabbit now for every hundred at this time last year. (4.), (5.) None. (6.) Native, Hapuka, Kincaid, South Bay, and Peninsular North and South Beaches, and unsold Crown lands ; total, about 4,000 acres. Fit for grazing, about 600 acres. (7.) About 1701b. (8.) 1251b. (9.) 701b. (10.) 50,000. (11.), (12.), (13.), (14.) None. (15.) Twelve, including six runholders. (16.) About 1,000 have been turned out on the runs; wild ferrets increasing rapidly all over the district; result, that young rabbits are very scarce. General Bemarhs. —The Act is working well, and, although the wet summer has been against successful poisoning, the pest is so far diminished that rabbiters cannot find sufficient remuneration to work. Trapping has been abolished on account of the large number of ferrets that are all over the district. Smith and Stenhouse's fumigator has been tested, but was not a success. I feel confident that, if during the ensuing winter the same success in destroying the pest as heretofore attends the combined efforts of the settlers and the department, there will be very little expenditure needed to assist the ferrets in keeping the pest down.

From Rabbit Inspector Rees, Timaru. (1.) Dogs and the gun have been the only means employed, except in one instance, when portions of the country on Mr. Tripp's boundary were poisoned by the Rabbit Agent. (2.) Poisoned grain should be used during this winter on islands in Takepo and other rivers, and every encouragement given to the breeding and turning-out of ferrets. (3.) In nearly all cases satisfactory progress has been made in the destruction of rabbits. (4.), (5.) None. (6.) A portion of the property of the late W. McDonald on and near the Rangitata, railway and other reserves; about 5,000 acres fit for grazing; whilst on snowy unoccupied land there may be a few spots to deal with (see Remarks). (7.), (8.), (9.), (10.) None. (11.) One. (12.) None. (13.) One. (14.) None. (15.) Four or five. (16.) A few have been turned out; no results as yet known. General Remarks. —As a rule rabbits have not increased in the South Canterbury District; on very many properties they are much less numerous. They are, however, more scattered, and will require care that these few scattered ones do not become centres for future increase. I would earnestly wish the weka to be protected, as we have no better natural enemy to the rabbit; also that, where possible, all reserves should have the rights of depasturing thereon put into fixed hands, responsible for the keeping down of the pest. There are very few rabbits on all the properties that face towards the Rangitata and the sea-coast as far as the mouth of the Waitangi. Thus, Mesopatamia, Mount Peel, Orari Gorge, Four Peaks, and so on all along the south-east facings of this district, from all I can learn, contain fewer rabbits than formerly. The centre of the infected country extends up the Hakateramea River along the Dalgety Range (where there are two branch lines of rabbits— one extending into Mount Nimrod, and the other through the Grampians to the warmer slopes facing the Waitangi); then on the course of the Two-Thumb Ranges to the end of the Richmond Run. Again, another small stream of rabbits up the bed of the Tokepe River to the Fork Stream, and an off-shoot along the warm facings of the Hunter Hills facing the Waihao. The recent discovery of rabbits on the unoccupied Crown land on the high ranges at the back of Mesopatamia leads one to suppose that they are making their way from Richmond, whilst the presence of rabbits opposite Mesopatamia, on the north side of the Rangitata, is a standing menace to the comparatively clear country I have mentioned. I say comparatively, because there are a few rabbits on the south-east side of Upper Rangitata in my district already. Taking the district as a whole the rabbits, in actual numbers, appear to have decreased; but then they are more widely spread, and will require the more care to keep them in check; and that is the reason why I feel my hands so tied by the decision of the Resident Magistrate in Rees v. Begg, my being unable to insist on efforts to kill even one rabbit—if the rabbit is there—as that rabbit may by increase ruin the property. I estimate the number of rabbits destroyed in South Canterbury at 35,000. Owners of properties as a rule are most anxious to take all precautions to keep down and destroy rabbits ; whilst managers, especially of companies, are more difficult to deal with, and are liable to try and avoid the necessary expense. There are one or two points which I have brought forward on former occasions, and now again urge for the consideration of the Government: (1.) The necessity of protection to the weka. (2.) The advisability of giving right of occupation (temporarily) to some fixed person or persons in regard to reserves, 4c, on condition that the rabbits are destroyed thereon.

From Rabbit Inspector Fullarton, Oamaru. (1.) Poisoning, killing with dogs, shooting, digging-out, trapping, ferreting, and in tw To or three places bisulphide of carbon has been used. (2.) In my opinion great benefit would result by united action in conducting the poisoning operations at a given time, could such be secured by statute. (3.) Good progress has been made, and rabbits in any number are mostly confined to where the country is very rough and inaccessible. (4.) One. (5.) £45. (6.) Two; the land is poor with rough broken gullies and patches of bush and scrub; about 4,000 acres are available for grazing. (7.), (8.), (9.) None. (10.) Returned by head office, Dunedin; ascertained through Customhouse. (11.) Ten. (12.) Four. (13.) Six. (14.) None. (15.) One. (16.) Yes, results not yet well known. General Eemarks. —l find most of the settlers are now alive to the necessity of taking every means to destroy the rabbits ; and I expect by the end of this season's poisoning the diminution will be much greater than last year, as simultaneous- action will be taken wherever rabbits abound. In two or three localities of my district I found rabbits affected with disease of the liver. I forwarded some of them to Dr. De Lautour of Oamaru, who pronounced it to be a kind of rot. It is not very fatal, and is principally confined to young ones. I attribute it to the unusually wet season.