RABBIT-CANNING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 190, 6 May 1908, Page 2

RABBIT-CANNING.

WILL'IT FOSTER THE RABBIT PESTP Speaking at a meeting of tho" Napier Rabbit Board (says a Press Asspciation message), the chairman (Mr. T. Crosse) drew attention to the proposal to erect a rabbitcanning factory in tho Waikato, 'and;,declared that- any attempt to use the';rabbit commercially - would seriously handicap efforts to cope, with the pc-st. i Objections ivero also raised against-./th® proposal at a recent' meeting in. Auckland. -. 1 - It'was feami that some farmers might, be' encouraged to protect, rather than destroy, ' their rabbits., - The keeping of rabbits in New Zealand is ■' V illegal, and there are occasional prosecutions of. favmei-s' for failing to. suppress the: rab•bits on their properties. At. first it-might appear that to set a value per head -on .rabbits would encourage the growth of a" v rabbit-catching industry that would'keefi the. numbers down. But those wlio are familiar —rtoo familiar—with' the rabbit, question sayvtliat this result does not follow.' Poisoning" is, far more destructive than' trapping/ "In V '. parts of Otago and Southland where rabbits are canned,. and' trapping is . consequently, carried on to a great, extent',■. the rabbits are disastrously abundant, and farmers ara bitterly' complaining. • In. Australia rabbity trapping.is an extensive industry, and there'' also' the farmers aro complaining. The chief . advocates 'of tho system in Australia aro ' the Socialists, who cbntend that • rabbittrapping is good for the community, because it provides employment. 1 . ' :' / ' : v .