RABBIT EXTERMINATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1489, 29 May 1880, Page 15

RABBIT EXTERMINATION.

The runholdors up-country (says the Tuapoka Times) havo now in self-defence entered into a combination with a view of stamping out the rabbit pest, and already signs of its abatement are apparent in many quarters, in renewed verdure where all show of gi ass had vanished. Our reporter on Monday last interviewed Mr George Birss, waggoner, who was passing through Lawrence to the railway station >\ ith 40,000 rabbitskins, to be despatched to Port Chalmers for shipment to the London market. Those skins were brought from Messrs Strode and Frascr's Earnsclcugh Station, Clyde, and wo note some particulars of general interest regarding the good work which those energetic gentlemen and others are doing in the wholesale slaughter of rabbits. They employ IS poisoners on the station, while six men with pack-horses (known as "packers") are engaged in conducting traffic between the home station and the rabbiters' camp in the ranges— carrying out poisoned wheat and necessary supplies, and leturning with the rabbitskins. Two men and a clerk find full employment at the station in making up poisoned wheat and fixing up and despatching the bales. Our informant is engaged with his horses and dray in conveying wheat to the home station, and bales of skins from there to Lawrence. Some days ago he brought down 22,000 skins; on Monday, as we have said, he had 40,000; and at tho station, when ho left it, there were other 40,000 in readiness to bo despatched to the railway ; and still there are no symptoms of the traffic diminishing. Messrs Strode and Fiascr supply the rabbiters with poisoned giain at the rate of Ss per ]001b, and purchase the rabbitskins at 2d each. Tho men are earning from 20s to 30s a day, and more men would be taken on, but cannot be had. Sonic of the so-called "uncmplojcd" were offered work, but declined it, preferring their chance of loafing on the industrious along the road. While these particulars refer to Earnscleugh Station, it is only fair to mention that the other runholdors are pursuing similar measures, in concert, and by arrangement arrived at in public meeting. The poison docs not seem to be taken by the sheep. Although, as our informant assures us, the country "stinks with rabbits," yet the tide appears to have fairly turned; already, in many places where the grass was formerly devoured down to the roots, it has again resumed its verdant hue, and forms good pasture for sheep. As an instance of what other runholdcrs are doing, may note that Messrs Cargill and Anderson have six men employed, who aie working their run and making a " fine clean job of it." Their men are said to be earning 20s to 25s per day each. The work of destruction is calculated to last for the next six months ; and this is another inducement to_ men ivho really want looi'k and cannot Jtnd it, to inquire for themselves " whether these things arc so."