THE RABBIT NUISANCE AGAIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6089, 16 August 1881, Page 4

THE RABBIT NUISANCE AGAIN.

TO THB EDITOR.

Sib,—The report of the Eabbit Nuisance Committee, just presented to Parliament, contains so much information upon the desirability or otherwise of introducing the natural enemies of the rabbit, and the question is one of suoh moment, that you will perhaps find space for another short letter on the subject, A number of sheep-farmers and others were examined by the Committee, and a Mr Jackaon stated that he had known an instance of a stoat killing lambs in the Old Country; but, in reply, Mr W. C. Buchanan, of Carterton, stated that he was thoroughly satisfied that the introduction of natural enemies waa tho only solution of the difficulty; that while recently in England he had left

no stone unturned to get the best information on the point, and that the general evidence of all most competent to speak was, that where game waß left to take oare of itself there would be no trouble from rabbits ; that he was convinced that weasels and stoats would settle the difficulty without any interference; and continued : " With regard to the evidence of Mr Jackson before the Committee, I may nay I lived in what was almost purely a sheep district at Home until I came to the Colony, and I never heard of any authenticated case of injury to lambs from weasels or stoats. It uaams to me an utter absurdity to think any derions damage could come from these things. These Btories about lambs being Beized by weasels, stoats, and ferrets are like the story of the three black crows. I am thoroughly convinced there need be.no fear from that cause. I could never trace an authentic case where these animals proved destructive to lambs. . . . . I have a subscription liat here that we have started in our district for the introduction of natural enemies, and, thonga it has not yet been sent round to any extent, we have already L 250, acd we. expect the Government to aid as in this when we show ourselves ready to help ourselves."

Mr G. F. Bullen, of Kaikoura, writes:— " Your favour re rabbits, of the 9ih inst., is duly to hand. I am glad to say the ferrets have done, and are still doing, a great work for us in checking the rabbits; and Ido believe the ferrets will be the salvation of the country, for truly the rabbits will ruin the country - at least the sheep-farmers—if they are not kept down. My firm belief is the rabbit-catchers do more harm than good—they kill everythinK that kills a rabbit, . . We turned out ferretß about eight years ago, and have been turning out more or less every year, which we shall continue as long as we see any rabbits around.

Piiis country extends, you may gay, from the Kahauixra to tb.9 Conway. . It is considerably over 100 000 acres, and I beli-wa there are many hundreds vt ferrota on it. We leave it entirely '■.0 them to do the work, keeping one man tv iu'oed and act us keeper over the ferrets; be c»me« a, gun, and kills a rabbit whenever he gets the onanca. But, unfortunately, our iiefghbours allow men to oatqh rabbits on their country These men catch the ferrets, and they pay them better; conssquentlyour ferrets

are being exported to all parts of the country. Phis, Sir, I consider is very cruel (after spending thousands to try and master the rabbits, our greatest enemies) to find any loafer can go on Government land adjoining yours, and catch every ferret, and sand them out of the district and advertise them m your ferrets. Now, Sir, if you can use your inflmnce to show the present Government the necessity of pro tectiag as, by protecting the rabbits' enemies, yon will do a gr«at deal of Rood to yourself and —yours truly, G. F. Bdw,bh."

Other parts of the report all tend to show the extreme difficulty of doing much good in our high country by poisoning alone. The only witness who feared the weasels and stoats very much was the aforesaid Mr Jackson; and he said that whan a boy he had been bitten by a stoat (which, bythe-bye, he found in a rabbit's nest), and this seems to have inspired him with •uch a lifelong dread of the tribe that he said, " They will destroy anything when they can get blood; I believe if a man was lying helpless in the road they would suck his blood," So that his evidence may fairly be taken cum gtwno —l am, &<:.,

J. C. BncKLAHD'