The Rabbit Question. TO THE Editor.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 7

The Rabb it Question. TO THE Editor.

Sir, — I cannot help thinking that it looks as it the present Government we:e goin^ back into power, and ;n; n that case I think that the settlers will find if; \<".'j difficult to get any alteration in the present rabbit administration ; but there is another point which 1 wish to bring under their notice — viz., that there is a great number of electorates in Xew Zealand where ther^ are no rabbits, and whose members will fesl very little interest in the subject, and therefore if tho rabbit districts in the south •want to see any alteration in the Rabbit Act or its administration, they will need to forcibly impress the subject on the new members before the elections. And there is also another point which I would like to refer fco — viz. f why cannot the inspectors get their Eummer poisoning 1 done now instead of allowing the rabbits to breed up Jill the summer and then in Ms>rch, when factories are opening and exporters are starting to take rabbits, suddenly force poisoning all over the country among the trappers, to the great risk of the consumers of the rabbits? Since the pollard poison has been found out a portion of tho rabbits can be killed any time, but it is when the young rabbits are about that it is most effective, and I fail to ccc that it is necessary to breed up rabbit* all the summer and then force poisoning among the trappers all over the country when the proper 'rabbit season starts, as the rabbit department has done more or lesri for the pasi three or four years. "Well, now, a word or two re Major Steward. He has long since made it appear that the rabbit dis-' tricts had his sympathy, and that he entirely concurred in their opinions, but I have never read a single speech of his on the rabbit question in the House, and beyond presenting a petition from his electors on the rabbit question I have never heard of a single thing that he has done for them oa this subject. — I am, etc., P. PERRY. - Hampden, KovsmlieE 23>