War on Rabbits

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26122, 26 May 1950, Page 6

War on Rabbits

The Government’s decision to maintain the “ killer ” policy for the extermination of rabbits and to continue the rabbit board subsidy to support it is wise and necessary. A conservative estimate is that rabbits cost New Zealand at least £3,000,000 a year; and their de- | pletion of the soil is probably many i times more expensive. That is why there has been no argument with the conclusion of the Sheep Industry Commission that it would be worth spending anything up to £ 20,000,000 on their destruction. Experience has shown that the only way to fight rabbits is total war—the “ killer ” policy. The gravity oi the rabbit menace was realised as long ago as 1876; but for 60 years rabbits were fought in a gentle-

manly sort of way, with a few boards and the Department of Agriculture attempting to enforce their destruction by individual landowners—and meeting on the whole with little success. Since 1935 the “ killer ” boards, which employ men to do the job in their areas, have shown that this is the proper way to attack a numerous public enemy. The defect was that “ killer ” boards covered only a small part of New Zealand. To remedy this, the Rabbit Destruction Council was set up by legislation in 1947, with powers to concert the attack on rabbits and to close the many and wide gaps in the front. The new Government’s support will enable the campaign, which is only now developing, to proceed. There is some opposition to this attack on the rabbits. On one side there is the landowner who, having freed his own land, is disinclined to pay

rates towards freeing other land. There will be some sympathy for him, though he must be led' to realise that in the long run it will pay him to have neighbouring farms cleared as well. On the other side there are those, farmers and rabbiters, who “farm” the rabbits; and there can be no sympathy with them. They have deliberately re- • trained from exterminating the pest ; so that they can draw a steady in- ; come from the skins. The extent of ■ this vested interest can be measured by the total return from skins, which has reached £ 1,000,000 in a single year. It is not enough for the Government to adopt sound ‘ strategy; it must resolutely adhere |to it till the battle is won. The ; cost to the State this year may be £500,000; but if there were enough rabbiters for 10 times that amount ■ to be spent it would still be a valu- ' able investment. New Zealand canj not afford to tolerate this pest.