EL—lB

1887. NEW ZEALAND.

THE RABBIT NUISANCE (ANNUAL REPORT ON), BY THE SUPERINTENDING INSPECTOR.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Mr. B. P. Bayly to the Hon. the Colonial Sbcbbtaey. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office (Stock Branch), Wellington, 13th May, 1887. I have the honour to furnish you with my annual report upon the rabbit question for the year 1886-87. I may say I can only recapitulate what I stated last year. The position this year is, on the whole, but* slightly altered, and the remarks I made on the first page of my report for the year 1885-86 are equally applicable this season. Another dry summer has not tended to decrease the pest, and unfortunately a mild winter last season on a large portion of the infested country rendered the poisoning operations in many localities comparatively ineffective, with the result that in a part of Otago, especially on the Waitaki Eiver, the rabbits are more numerous than they have been before ; but, at the same time, this influx is confined to the low-lying lands on river frontages, the higher country being, so to speak, clear. Together with this increase, the infested area is gradually becoming more extensive, and they are reported to have been seen this year as far back as the junction of the Clark with the Haast Eiver on the western side of the Haast Saddle. It is questionable whether their advance in this direction will be either rapid or in great numbers ; the extent of timbered country, together with the rivers, must afford a considerable check ; the climate is wet, the natural enemy has been seen along with them, and the distance to the nearest pastoral country they endanger considerable. Although Canterbury as a whole cannot be considered infested, yet there are three points where the utmost care and vigilance is required to prevent a serious outbreak. On the east of the Waitaki River, at Akaterawa Station in Waimate County, they are established, and a frontage of several miles along the river, and from one to two miles back, is infested, the whole area comprising about three thousand acres. It is reported at the present time that they are not as numerous aa they have been, but, when the great danger is taken into consideration, would it not be better at once to wire-net in this block securely than run the risk of their spreading over a larger area by the means used to destroy them ? If this country was so enclosed at once the rabbits might almost be exterminated, and the danger averted. No further spread of the pest has yet occurred, on the east side of the Dobson River, and a vigilant supervision is being exercised at this point, which is the key to the Mackenzie country. On the west side of the Ohau Lake, and towards the Hopkins River, they are getting decidedly more numerous. Poisoning will ba again resorted to this winter. During the summer ferrets were released on the back country, and this is the place of all others where the natural enemy should be made available. lam still of opinion that, the bush and glacierarea on either slope of Mount Cook will afford a barrier to the advance of the pest in numbers at one time in that direction. In central Canterbury, about two.years since, a considerable colony of. rabbits were discovered at the head of the Rangitata River on the Mesopotamia country ; last season, about four thousand were destroyed there. Two men have been employed again this year, -with the result that about 1,250 had been killed up to January. This country is difficult to work, being inaccessible except during the summer months, owing to the depth of snow lying on the intervening ranges. Further north in the Amuri, where an influx threatened last season ; steps were at once taken to check their progress. Two Rabbit Boards have been formed, their intention being to raise funds for the purpose of staying the advance of the rabbits by fencing them off the still uninfested country. A Board has also been formed in Marlborough, and is now in full work; here, I believe, the object in view is principally the introduction of the natural enemy. These Boards are of too recent formation to as yet show results. In the North Island matters are fairly satisfactory ; the dry season has unfortunately rendered the work of destruction more difficult. At Auckland, in the King Country, the pest has also obtained a footing. These were released at Kihikihi over twenty years ago, and subsequently some were put across the Puniu River; here they are only in places where Maori settlements have been, or are, or where there are swampy lands ; and an experienced trapper has been sent up to instruct the Natives in trapping, netting, &c. Owing to the comparative absence of grass and clear ground, I do not think they can ever become I—H. 18.