RE AUSTRALIAN RABBITS.

NZ Truth, Issue 60, 18 August 1906, Page 3

RE AUSTRALIAN RABBITS.

TO TEE EDITOB.

Sir,— ln your reply to correspondents you mention the fact that no such sum as 2s each has never been paid for rabbit scalps m the land of the Kangaroo. Well, Sir, if not 2s a scalp it was at one time mighty near it.

In the late eighties, I can remember at Hay, on the Murrumbidgee, m New South Wales, as a school boy l used to get. ls 6d per scalp for rabbits from the ",iG-.oyerfl|hent Inspector, m fact I have earned far more money on * a Saturday, afternoon with a pack of mongrels during the very height of the rabbit troubles m New South Wales than I have ever earned since m a weekend I have done a fair amount of -work since— that I couldn't well get out of.

Though the . Government . subsidy was Is 6d a scalp at this time, the squatters m south-western New South Wales at one time added sums of their own to it and m cases the price obtained for scalps was as high as 2s 6d per scalp. I don't want to draw any wrath on my head for differing m opinion with you, but I think you will find that I am pretty adjacent to the facts of this matter. Places such -as old Wooloondool, Benduck, Pevensy, Corrong and hundreds of. others spent amongst them hundreds of thousands of pounds, m very "wild eyed" manner, trying to get rid of the rabbits . at first, before; they settled v down; to thtrpoison' and] wire netting' system. r 'S i; ■ ;; ' iT j I was m this distridpjn the 'early! eighties until about 1890 but, not' not being much with the quill, can't put my facts down on Dap er very well. Apologising.— l am, &c.

• BILL. ("Truth" is pleased to assure "Bill" that no apology is necessary m the circumstances,. It's statement as to price for scalps only anplied to the question asked, viz., Was the sum, of 2s ever paid for rabbit scalps. ■ It never was, directly, by the Government. What additional subsidy made it up to that did not "Truth** 6 *' ? u estioii.-Ed.