The Rabbit-trapping Industry.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 24

The Rabbit-trapping Industry.

TO THE EDITOK.

Sir, — It Is quite evident, judging by tfie interest taken in this question, that the Minister for Lands and the Rabbit department are not t6 allowed to have their own way in the mattei of rabbit-poisoning, and I would suggest that those interested in this coining industry should form an association for the pin pose of protecting their interests. lam glad to notice that practical men are coming forward to give their testimony in favour of trapping as opposed to poisoning, and I feel certain that before long it will be difficult to get any practical man to deny that trapping is the better method of extermination. What is wanted now is some sort of method of utilising the rabbits in the districts not adjacent to^the railway. In the Central Otago district, from Blacks to Gibbi ston, is a large tiajV of rabbit-infested country ; it couple of central depots whore those rabbits could be turned to profitable use either by tinning or freezing, would not only be a boon to the over^ taxed settlers and squatters, but would mean the providing of employment for hundreds of young men who now hardly know what to turn their attention to. Our legislators are not to be congratulated either upon their attitude towards this question or upon their foresight, for if they Lad an ordinary amount of the latter they would recognise that the utilisation of the rabbit means more employment than anything else they cau think of. Not only does it mean employment, but it means the introduction of foreign capital without the payment of interest, and it means relief to settl-rs and squatters of a very practical kind. It is now many years since the Rabbit Act was first pufc in force, and anyone who travels through the Central Otago districts will be forced to admit that it has been a huge failure. Some of the reasons were given by me in my last letter, and I need only draw attention to the attitude of the Minister for Lands to showhow powerless an inspector is. If, on the one hand, he does not compel people to poison, he is suspended, whilst on the other he is to suffer all pains and penalties if he is too severeTheD, as your carrespondent " Kapai" has pointed out, too many men are put into billets as agents merely to reward them for political services ; and the man who it capable of taking a reward foe M* patriotism is but a poor man to entrust with public duties. I have for 3 ears been of the opinion that a bonus given in summer would help greatly to redu-e the past. Only make the rabbit worth catching and the trouble is ended. The cry that the rabbiter is rea.^y to do everything to conserve the rabbits is pure moonshine. The rabbiter, like every other man, wants to make as much money as he can a? quickly as he can, and the morerabbitshe catches the more money. Surely a method of extsimiuation by which a mimed man receives 253 per week and fiud himself to destroy rabbits U oue more likely to tend to rabbit-farming ; and I am credibly informed that there are taen working foi those wages in a certain district in Otago. What a difference between such a state of affairs and that existing where trapping for export goes on. Men at tbe latter occupation can make money ; afc the former, if they manage to exist at all it is all they can do. I have to thank your correspondent "Kapai" for bis kind remarks, and I ran only say that anything I can do to help in this struggle against the prejudices of the "powers that be" I shall be only too pleased to do. What is wanted, however, is a strong combination of all those interested, and if this wgitition bas tbe effect of 1 ousing our young man to a sense of t'aeir responsibilities and powers was citizens of a grand colony it will nob be in vaiu. Let onr young meu organise themselves into a body and make their voice felt in tbis matter, aud the "powers that be" will, speedily come to reason and common sense. I believe u-ith " ICapai " "that this question is one that will become a very Itiyee oue, and that the rabMt trappirg industry will be a great boon to, ssttlers and workers ia OtAgo.— l -nil. &c, Anderson's Bay, ApiilH. J. J. Eamsay.