The Rabbit Nuisance

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3491, 29 October 1926, Page 3

The Rabbit Nuisance

It would appear that Brer Rabbit is not going to give up his residence in this locality without a fight. Evidence given at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday in prosecutions for failure to put down the post, indicated that the rabbit is just as plentiful in certain areas as he was prior to, the introduction of Rabbit Boards. Much good worfe has undoubtedly been done by the organisation of Rabbit Boards, but it would appear that the day is still a long way off when the announcement can be made that the pest is entirely eliminated. In their own interests, farmers have tackled various methods of ridding, their properties of the rabbit, but it is doubtful whether any farmer in the rabbit-infested area can say that his property is clean. A thorough organisation is required to fight the pest—time, labour and finance arc essentials, and when the farmer is experiencing difficult times, it is not always possible for him to undertake in the manner preseribed by the Act, this costly work. The Act places no limit upon the amount of work which the farmer is called upon to perform to rid his property of the pest. Ho must ga into every nook and corner on his property, and continual!? make war on the rabbit, ami to do this effectively, he must neglect some part of his ordinary occupation. The farmer is taxed to provide the Rabbit Boards organisation, and is then prosecuted for failure to take adequate steps to put down the nuisance on his property. Tt would appear that the organisation of the Rabbit Boards could be reconstructed to enable the Boards’ servants to carry out the war on the different properties and so relieve many of the over-worked farmers. The Boards could undertake the work with the advice of their experts more effectively than the individual farmer. This would eliminate the different methods employed by different farmers. The farmer may think he is dong all that is necessary, but the Boards’ Inspectors can report that the. work done is insufficient. As they know what should he done, it would he infinitely better if they, with a staff of assistants, were organised to undertake the work.

Brer Rabbit still bolds sway, and bis presence suggests an inquiry into the effectiveness of the existing methods employed for his elimination.