THE RABBIT PEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 6

THE RABBIT PEST

PRESENT POSITION IN OTAGO THE RUNHOLDERS BLAMED "WANT THINGS BOTH WAYS" Otago runholders who have been making such a fuss about the rabbit pest lately have themselves to blame for much of the present trouble ’’ was a statement made to an Otago Daily Times reporter yesterday by an experienced rabbiter. “ For years they have wanted men to trap and poison rabbits on their runs so that thev will be able to carry more sheep, a large number of them have at the same time charged ridiculously high prices for rabbiting blocks. They want things both ways—to have the rabbits cleared from their properties and to make money out of the clearing. They are to blame in other ways, too.” he added Good Wages Available “ Trapping rabbits is one of the hardest jobs there is.” he said, “but with reasonable prices for skins a man can make a good weekly wage I have been poisoning this winter and I and my partners have been making £5 or £6 a week clear on only an average block. Rabbiting especially trapping is a fairly specialised job, and it is no use nutting unemployed men from the cities on the work. They would find the life too hard, and it is doubtful 'f they would get more than a handful of rabbits a week. 1 am afraid the scheme put forward for the Government to adopt would not work in nractice.” Referring again to the way run holders charged for rabbiting blocks the rabbiter said that he knew of one man who boasted that he had been able to pay his year’s rent with the money he had received for blocks taken over by rabbiters. This charging for blocks deterred men from trapping, for it reduced the return to a meagre weekly wage. He knew oi men who had been asked to nay up to £6O a block. These were the runholders—mostly inefficient ones —who clamoured to the Government for assistance \ “ It would be an excellent thing for the country as a whole." he said, “ if men were encouraged to go out rabbit ing instead of being a drain on the Dominion’s resources on public works There must be numerous men who have had the necessary experience to make £5 or £6 a wqgk rabbiting in the winter, and there is plenty of sea sonal work offering in the summer These men would not only be off tht» State payroll, but would be assisting in doing away with the rabbit pest." A Broker’s Endorsement Strong support for the above statements was forthcoming from a well known Dunedin rabbitskin broker who said that experienced trappers laughed at the scheme recently announced for cooing with the rabbit nest. The broker also blamed runholders for the greater part of to-day’s trouble. “There are some runholders in Cen tral Otago." he said. “ who-have cleared their properties almost completely of rabbits. They have employed men to trap and poison and fenced off their runs section by section with rabbitproof netting as the work progressed. These men can carry more sheep on their runs and the value of their properties has increased. It is mainly the inefficient farmers who want the Gov ernment to assist them but if their properties are cleared of rabbits by the State will they be willing to have their, ground rents increased? Many of these farmers have raised the necessary capital to purchase their properties by . trapping rabbits. Surely thev can do something themselves to destroy the pest without seeking State assistance? ”

“ While high prices are being obtained for skins, you will not have an increase in rabbits,” he said in conclusion. “This is the most important factor I certainly - hope the Government will not adopt the scheme re cently put forward, as it has enough such schemes to worry it. On the other hand. 1 would like to see more rabbit boards established in Otago, for I believe the solution of the present trouble lies in more adequate supervision.”