Myxomatosis

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 16

Myxomatosis

Sir, — It is a pity that Mr Lange has given a knee-jerk endorsement to farmers calling for myxomatosis. The best way to control a pest under those conditions is to transform them into a resource. Central Otago is adjacent to Mount Cook, one of New Zealand’s premier tourist traps and anywhere else in the world tourists will pay big money for the privilege of going on shooting safaris. Certainly in America, the rabbit is regarded as a respectable game animal. Those farmers screaming for a fhisl solution should drop the sheep, which no-one seems to want, and concentrate on conducted expeditions. Think of the spin-offs. Clothing, personalised guns, shoot 10 good rabbits and we will skin them, have a jacket made and mailed to your home as a superb souvenir. They would be making so much money that if one of the rabbits got the sniffles they would be screaming for Mr Lange and the D.S.I.R. to come and rescue them. — Yours, etc. lAN ORCHARD. February 19, 1986.

Sir,—One understands that the Prime Minister must grapple with such a mass of diverse problems that he has to delegate some to his Ministers without a chance to fully inform himself. This appears to apply to the myxomatosis issue from your report (February 19) on his “fact-finding” tour in the Mackenzie Country. His challenge “to press the debate over the introduction of the viral rabbit disease myxomatosis” shows that he is obviously unaware of the thoroughness, orally in meetings and in written reports, of recent debate between “pros” (farmers, Agricultural Pest Destruction Council) and “contras” (scientists, shooters, general public, animal welfare organisations), followed by an Independent environmental impact report which advised definitely against introduction. For Mr Lange’s benefit, I summarise four important reasons against: Humanitarian; virus uncontrollable regarding spread and host-range (mutations); proven short-term success followed by reinfestation; limited area infested and better control measures available. — Yours, etc ” M. MAYER. February 19, 1986. Sir —I am disgusted that the Prime Minister is in sympathy with farmers to import the deadly disease myxomatosis. Surely there is enough suffering and disease in the world without inflicting such punishment on the rabbit population. It would be nothing less than a criminal offence in these so-called enlightened .Y^ T u F^ r e c C ’’ . MAURICE RAWLINGS. Hokitika. February 19. 1986.