ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE RABBIT.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 142, 16 June 1888, Page 4

ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE RABBIT.

While the agriculturists and pastoralists of the Australasian colonies are troubling their heads to devise a means for exterminating the rabbit, there are not a few who believ 6 that, were" bunny "assessed athis true value, the war of extermination waged against him would not take the direction of the scheme propounded by M. Pasteur. The_ rabbit possesses an economic value of which few comparatively are cognisant. The flesh, properly preserved, is a favourite luxury amongst the bourgeoisieof England, France, and the Low Countries, and the skins are worth 2s per lb. in London just now, their principal use being for the conversion of the hair into felt for hats. In New Zealand until quite lately the rabbit has been merely valued for the skin. Nearly 10,000,000 skins are exported annually,of an estimated value of from £100,000 to £150,000. In some parts of the colony attention has lately been turned to the preservation of bunny's flesh, and in the Marlborough district 116,000 have been tinned in two factories which only started operations at the beginning of the winter. We notice in a Sydney paper that a company is being formed for the purpose of turning the rabbit to account as an article of commercial value. The proposal is to catch the rabbits in large areas fenced with wire netting, in which openings are left sufficiently large to admit the rabbit, but ■which are armed with sharp spikes on the inside so that once through he is unable to return. These traps have been tried on several stations in New South Wales, and also in South Australia, and as many as 1,500 have been caught in one trap in a single night. So effective have these traps been found that the company propose to enter into contracts with the squatters to clear their runs, and as a protection against future incursions to leave the traps by which the runs were cleared upon the land. As showing the effectiveness of this mode of dealing witli the pest, it is reported that on a New South Wales run, 100,000 rabbits were caught in a few weeks by means of these traps. It will be a distinct gain to these colonies if the many millions of rabbits now destroyed annually were preserved and sold for consumption.

Parnell water supply is to be cut ofi from 9 a.ni. till noon on Monday next. Consumers are requested not to draw water during these hours, as the emptying of the pipes would probably lead to serious damage. Mrs Frank Colbeck died very suddenly atPahi on Thursday last. Tlie deceased lady had only been married a few months. She arrived here five months ago from Jamaica to be married to Mr Colbeck, to whom she had become engaged at the West Indies,

Captain Edwin wires atll.3oam : "Glass further rise and. weather continue very cold."

Some weeks ago ifc will be remembered the Education Board decided to reduce the salaries of teachers possessing only partial qualification, and it i.< apparently now the policy of the Board to reduce as much as possible the list of teachers who have nofc earned complete classification. In discussing the question of appointing a, teacher to the Waihu school, near Okaihau, a not very lucrative position, the list of partially qualified teachers was scanned with the object of fixing on some unfortunate for banishment to the wilds of the North. It appeared that those to whom the teachership had been offered had one and all " made excuses," and thus " raised the dander " of the Chairman, who remarked that he would be inclined to turn away all teachers who had only partial classification. This called from Mr Theo. Cooper, who took the seat at the Board after a month's absence in Wellington, a remark that he did not agree with some recent actions of the Board. They had not touched the big salaries from £300 to £450, but had- visited the retrenchment on the unfortunate pupil teachers and assistants.

The Supreme Court was occupied this morning with a charge of forging and ufcteringagainsfc John Phillips and Frank Walton, reported in another column. The hearing of native conspiracy cases is fixed for Monday, and these will conclude the criminal session. After the civil list has been disposed of the following divorce cases will be taken:—John Wratt, petitioner, v. Fanny E. Wratt, respondent, and William Coward,corespondent, for dissolution of marriage ; John David McLean, petitioner, Elizabeth Gardener McLean, respondent, and Fredk. Iredale. co-respondenb; Thomas Mace James Humphreys, petitioner, Rosina Ann Mace Humphreys, respondent, and John Kerr, Frank Matson, and Charles Fallen, co - respondents. This morning Mr. H. Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, asked His Honor Mr Justice Gillies, on behalf of several members of the legal profession, to kindly decide that none of the civil cases would come on before Thursday, because the native conspiracy cases were likely to last through Monday andTuesday,and Wednesday was a holiday— the Accession of Her Majesty the Queen. His Honor replied that he would be very glad to accede to the request.

St. Matthew's gifbanction was well patronised again yesterday afternoon and evening. During the evening Mrs Wright sang "Angels at the Window," and Master Keesing gave a recitation from "Richard III.," and in response to an encore lie sang "Sarah's Sunday Out." The duet " Fondest Dearest" was contributed by Mr Edmonds and Mrs Wright. Mr Evans, auctioneer, disposed of a large stock of goods, but there is a large quantity of useful and ornamental articles still remaining. The sale will be continued to-day and will close this evening, and those who attend will have the chance of procuring many bargains.

The following are the immigration and emigration returns for May : —Arrivals: From United Kingdom, 363; New South Wales, 174; Victoria, 291; Tasmania, 43 ; other places, 52 : total, 923. Departures : For United Kingdom, 383 ; Queensland, 2 ; New South Wales, 863; Victoria, 724; South Australia, 2 ; Tasmania, 31; other places, 114; total, 2,119. The arrivals were: At Kaipara, 1; Auckland, 143 ; Wellington, 367 ; Wanganui, 1; Napier, 1; Greymouth, 3 ; Lyttelton, 4 ; Timaru, 3 ; Dnnedin, 73; Invercargill, 327 : total, 923. The departures were : From Russell, 1; Kaipara, 5 ; Auckland, 791; Wellington, 415; Napier, 5; Greymouth, 16; Lyttelton, 147 ; Dunedin, 3 ; Invercargill, 736 : total, 2,119. The Chinese arrivals were 117, and departures 22. These are included in the above figures.

With reference to the Melbourne Exhibition, the "Age" says :— "ThoughNew Zealand is the most distant of the Australasian colonies, the court by which those southern islands will be represented will probably be the most forward of any by the opening day. Already the 20,625 square feet allotted to New Zealand is occupied to a considerable extent by packages of goods, and the secretary, Mr Callas, has been for some time in attendance at the building to receive exhibits. Yesterday the New Zealand executive commissioner, Sir James Hector, M.D., arrived in Melbourne, and it may be expected that progress will be made with the work of arranging the court. Sir James Hector expresses himself as pleased with the position allotted to New Zealand. The court is well on the northern side of the annexe, and is between the South Australian and Queensland spaces, having a frontage to the Avenue of Nations. The Executive Commissioner states that natural products will be well represented, and as New Zealand is one of the most fertile spots to be found anywhere, it may be expected that some good specimens of agricultural produce will be shown. There are also numerous varieties of iiseful timber in the islands, and these will be properly represented. The Midland Railway Company intend showing a trophy made up of woods which are of great utility and are also very ornamental. There will also be a display of the minerals of New Zealand, including specimens of stone valuable for building purposes. Sir James Hector states that the fine arts collection will be a good one, though it will consist only of new works, he having not gone upon the principle of collecting as many things as possible without regard to the consideration as to whether they had been exhibited before or not. Included in this part of the court will be many views of the magnificent scenery which is to be found almost all over New Zealand, and maps, which have been specially prepared under the direction of Sir James Hector, and which show in bas relief the topographical features of the country. The New Zealand court will probably be as prettily ornamented as any in the building with ferns and foliage plants, a nnmber of which have been brought over by the Executive Commissioner."

Our Tuakau correspondent writes that the early demise of Miss Laura Walker, daughter of Mr Thomas Walker, storekeeper of that place, has caused a feeling of unfeigned sorrow in the settlement, the deceased having endeared herself by many genuine qualities.

A new system of book-keeping is now being taught ab the City Commercial Classes.

Scott's Hotel, one of the most valuable and widely known hotel properties in Melbourne, has lately been purchased by a syndicate for the sum of £92,400, which, however, does nob include stock, goodwill or furniture. The property has a frontage of 66 feet to Collins-street with a depth of 120 feet to a right of way, and the price, therefore, is equivalent to £1,400 a foot frontage. The property also included an allotment of vacant land with a frontage of 66 feet to William-street, which was sold to the same syndicate at £600 a foot, bringing up the total amount of the purchase money to £132,000.

Representatives of the persons interested in the Victorian fish-curing industry have determined to apply to the Minister ot Customs at an early date to place an import duty on imported cured fish. Large quantities of smoked haddocks, barracouta, &c, are constantly arriving thcro from JNew Zealand nnd Scotland, to the detriment ot their trade; and in the case of New Zealand the fishermen allege that direct aid is given to exportation by the Government, by a bounty of |d per 1b on all cured fash despatched from this colony, i

Members of the City Gu-mi ~~~ """' to* » Government inspecj Sf "^ beheld on Tuesday, $?T nParade^ Parade a meeting win i';°,P\ m- After some important busin SM} «**»** commenced last Sunday JS™ COUrse Notwithstanding the extl on drapery gnoda tt e *&??* much their own wayX n C f .hhea*c Pr(% Society held its fortnffi meT° Yemen* school-room on MondwSSS* lUth(l Lawry gave one of his popnKf^ Drtive "medical talks." C oo ftnstlll(=asked by members of the claS! °n 8 " Colonel" and Mr* T n ,,i i from the South on fSdtgfc c «*ved of Auckland. A series 5 will be inauguratedft °aMtW morrow. Arracks -to. . The federal Coffee Palace in M.iv is now almost completed/aid i? 110 tors hope to hand over the buildfn ftr^ company next week. The JS g-to tha to be the largest of the kind fnti^eishel4 400 and 500 rooms The n^°- S beWeen m-e is claimed to be wLSSTSi'PS l matter of light and veSSffi ft"}* 9 abreast of the times. OwinTtnf Wly extent of the premises^eLnisht?^? occupy a considerable time andi pnU txcxpated that the palace will no fc "f general favourite wlnlst eSl'yed specter onthe western circuit of our 1* and suburban tramways. Mr K 7 can J.R, took the chair, and exriatd" that owing to the re^chin^ pfi } of the tramway directors, Mr WoollaS services were suddenly dispensed with, and he (the chan-man) believed that he only ex . pressed the feeling of the eentlemen present in statin? that some mark of theel teem of he travelling public on the weslm circuit should be given expression to owin? to the acceptable manner in which the late inspector discharged his duties durimr the time he was employed. Major Payne Messrs Fricker, Edger and other speaker fully coincided with the chairman's remarks after which a committee was formed to carry out the necessary details towards making the presentation a success. For ourselves, we may say that we are personally aware of Mr Woollams's worth/and regret that circumstances should have necessitated the .Company dispensing with bis services.

The following remarks with reference to the case of the poisoner Hall appear in the New Zealand letter of the Melbourne " Age:"—" The name of Hall, the Timaru poisoner, has been again} brought prominently before the public through a case in the Court of Appeal. It was an application to have the registration of certain land in Canterbury cancelled. Lysaght and Meason were mortgagees of the land under tha Land Transfer Act, aud Meason-was in partnership with Hall. Hall, by fraud, got Meason to give a transfer of the mortgages in favour of MeKeoivn, andforgedLyßkghb'a signature thereto. M'Kemvn paid the purchase money to Hall, who acted as \u& agent. 'Hall, as M'Keown's agent and broker, caused a transier' to ba registered, and handed the document oi title o£ McKeown, appropriating the money Whis own use. The Court has reserved its decision. Hall is still confined at Mount Eden, Auckland, and his wife lives at Timaru. She believes that he attempted to poison her, put has forgiven him, and sends him letters regularly. Miss' Houston, who was indicted with Hall for complicity in the ( crime and acquitted, also resides in the Timaru district. Mrs Hallis convinced of her innocence, and so are most people, including the police, who now acknowledge that, although she acted injudiciously, they were not justified in charging her with participation in Hall's diabolical designs on Ins wife. Miss Houston is the frequent guest, oi families in good positions in the Timara district, who take this practical way of showing that in their opinion she has been a very much injured mortal. We are still to the front, though rumours of wars are on every side. Hannah and Co.!s great sale of travellers' samplesi still continues. Ladies', Gents' and Children* Boots and Shoes, at and under wholesale cose prices ; reductions in every department to meet tho times.-Auckland Casb Boot Palace, 172, Queen-street.-[Ai>VT.] Much annoyance having been experienced:■ bvmany of Smith and Caughey s -m ■ tomers, who have mistaken the dott ing shop (without name appear jg. recently opened next door to their Queen-street establishment as *?<»&»*% them. In justice to their customeis.Mj. themselves they are compe,led to. dnj. public attention to the fact that there is w connection whatever, and that they ha only one entrance in Queen-street.-l-aau./ We had for breakfast this morning some of the best bacon that we have eve taswa since we left the Old Country. »*»• P ccc frem a lot fed at the Creameries, whole ot which has been P^j^jT ■ enterprising firm of Earleand Montjomg. by whom the sample was, sent to us tor r See their advertisement m another turn —(Advt.) Food fob Consumptives. Scott's . W» % Pure Cod L.vbk Oil with HjiWWJT" Lime and Soda, is a most Consumptive. It nol only, gives strength aod »« d the flesh, but heals irntaf.on of the ho* longs. It is very .palatable: ch.ldren take .v J and in all wasting diseases both f°j. ? a£ m * children it is » morve lous and ™du^^ W^ and small \iotties ot all Chennsts. -sou »