H.—lB

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From Babbit Inspector Foster, Amberley. (1.), (2.), (3.), (4.), (5.), (6.), (7.), (8.), (9.), (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.), (14.), (15.), (16.) Nil. General Remarks. —There are practically no rabbits south of the Waiau, that is in the northern subdivision of the Canterbury District; and no special means are adopted for killing the few that do exist. These, however, are not increasing.

From Babbit Inspector Sutton, Ashburton. (1.) Shooting, dogs, ferrets, and poisoned grain. (2.) As rabbits are coming into the high country in this subdivision from the South (re my report to Colonial Secretary of the 28th April, 1886) I would strongly recommend that a fence should be erected from the dividing range to the sea either north or south of the Eangitata Eises. (3.) Not as much as is desirable in the low country, last winter being the first year anything like general work has been done; it was not carried out very effectually. (4.), (5.) None. (6.) Three: Crown lands—No. 1, Eangitata Island, about 400 acres; No. 2, Mesopotamia, 5,000 acres; No. 3, Turton's County, 5,000 acres. No. 1, all available for grazing; No. 2, 2,000; and No. 3, 5,000. The last two blocks only available in the summer months. (7.), (8.), (9.), (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.), (14.) None. (15.) I believe forty were turned out at back of Mesopotamia last autumn. No results. (16.) None.

From Eabbit Inspector Bees, Timaru. (1.) Shooting and dogging, with occasional use of ferrets, and digging out. Poisoned grain has been employed on the only run badly infested, but it entirely failed owing to great quantity of grass. (Te Akatarawa Bun). (2.) The turning out of ferrets and cats where rabbits show in numbers, and the stringent protection of the weka, as the best natural enemy to the rabbit we possess. (3.) Babbits have disappeared in a marked degree from the bulk of the Timaru District, excepting the Te Akatarawa Bun, where over about 3,000 acres they are very thick. Babbits too are showing on the Pukaki. (See General Bemarks.) (4.) None. (5.) Nil. (6.) The unoccupied Crown lands between the Pukaki and Tasman on one side, and the Dobson and Ohou on the other may require going over by a man or men on Government pay. Area large. Country generally under snow for six months in the year. (7.) 101b. was employed in preparing poisoned grain at the request of Chief-Inspector Boulton, partly for Government, partly for private individuals. (8.) None. (9.) 61b. (10.) One. (11.) One. (12.), (13.) None. (14.) Three. (15.) None. (16.) Not known. General Bemarks. —The Timaru Babbit District is now freer from rabbits than it has been for years, two portions only excepted : one, the Te Akatarawa Bun of 30,000 acres —on the Waitaki; the other, the Glentanna Bun—on the Pakaki and Tasman. On Te Akatarawa Bun 3,000 acres are still badly infested. On Glentanna one or two colonies of rabbits have been found, and the owner has put a man on to kill, whilst I should recommend a Government man also to be employed on the Crown lands adjoining.

From Eabbit Inspector Fullaeton, Oamaru. (1.) Poisoned grain, killing with dogs, shooting, trapping, digging out, ferreting, and fumigating. (2.) In my opinion an Inspector should be able to summons at once under the Eabbit Nuisance Act when he finds an owner neglecting or not taking efficient means to destroy rabbits on his land, without having first to serve a notice upon him, causing a great deal of delay before being able to bring a case into Court. (3.) Fair progress has been made, and rabbits are not so numerous, except on a portion of frontage on Ahuriri and Waitaki. (4.) One. (5.) £45 19s. lOd. (6.) Two; rough pastoral land; about 5,000 acres available for grazing. (7.) None. (8.) 101b. (9.) 201b. (10.) Eight. (11.) Eight. (12.), (13.) None. (14.) One. (15.) 160. Not time to show results. (16.) 130. Owners satisfied, they do good work. General Bemarks. — Poisoning last winter in portions of my district, especially up Waitaki, was not at all successful, which I attribute to continuous wet weather in the beginning of winter, causing abundance of grass up country; and the hot, dry summer has been very favourable for the increase of rabbits.

From Babbit Inspector Boukchiee, Naseby. (1.) Phosphorized grain daring the winter months; dogging, trapping, and shooting in the summer. (2.) That the Government should, if able, turn out large numbers of stoats and weasels, as the natural enemy is the most efficient to keep the rabbits in check. (3.) Good: except a few places on the low lying countries, there is a marked decrease. In a few instances the rabbits appear as numerous as ever. (4.) One. (5.) £7. (6.) The one referred to is the Hyde Reserve : total acreage, 640, including roads, houses, &c, in Hyde Township. The balance of the reserves are let for grazing, subject to clearance of rabbits. (7.) Nil. (8.) Not known. (9.) Nil. (10.) Two. (11.) One. (12.) One. (13.) Nil. (14.) Five. (15.) None during my stay here. (16.) From time to time a few are turned out, some say with good results. I cannot, however, find out number. General Bemarks. —l would still advocate, as I have from the start, the turning out of the natural enemies of the rabbit, especially stoats and weasels; simultaneous poisoning in the winter where possible, and dogging, &c, in spring and summer. Last spring, in this district, being exceedingly dry, the rabbits appeared to leave the high ground and swarmed the low ground; so that, in one month, it would appear that nothing had been done on same.

From Rabbit Inspector Shaw, Clyde. (1.) Phosphorized grain during the winter; trapping, dogging, shooting, and bisulphide of carbon through the summer. Poisoned grain was tried this summer with success. (2.) The Government should continue to turn out stoats and weasels in the back-country, where it is impossible to poison. (3.) There was good progress made during the winter; but, owing to the dry