The Rabbit Question. TO THE EDITOR,

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 34

The Rabbit Question. TO THE EDITOR,

Sir,— lt is a pity that the Minister for Lands has left the country, as he might have sent "Exterminator" up to Lawrence, ; so that he could eiiligbten oui Rabbsf- department there -on the way to eradicate the- rabbits on their own Crown lands in Tuapeka West, where" there has been a. Goye'rnment"rabbiter working according to their instructions for these . last three years or "mere, and still the rabbits are so plentiful, I Understand, ~that one trapper has caught to the tune of over 8000 rabbits (or a few weeks' trapping within the past 12 months, all off an area of about 200 awes that have been continuously poisoned by the Government man for about 14 months or more. " Exterminator " says that the Rabbit department weTe almost the first to try trapping and preserving. He did not say if it was the dead rabbits or the live ones that' were preserved ; but- 1 am inclined to think that it must have been tho latter that he^meant or the rabbits wowld not be sc plentiful as a% present. Also, that this is a free 'country, and we have » Liberal Government. Part of the Government arfe certainly most liberal, especially when they iire themselves concerned. I suppose the Meetings referred to are open to all homers. As to any one holding opposing views, I don't think there are many, unless " Exterminator " or the inspectors, and I think they know better than to attend any such meetings. It is not a nice thing to face a- crowd of angry farmers when they think that they are being imposed xipon. There are landowners not far from nere wno believe in pollard poisoning simply as a, means of keeping the inspectors quiet, but they will not be able to stand it long unless the rabbits eat themselves out, as they appear to have done at Marlborough. There is a small station-not 20 miles from hero where tho owner has had men steadily laying poisoned pollard for the past four years, and if he continues for another year he will be able to start a freezing works of his own. That is, if he is not eaten out soon ; or perhaps there might be a change in Parliament before then, and that might alter N matters for ihe better. They can certainly be no worse. However, " Extermi-^ nator " might be able to corncxup to Lawrence soon, so as to give our Rfr'obit department another chance. — I am, etc., LOOKER ON. Tuapeka, April 17.