THE BABBIT EXPORT TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 4

THE BABBIT EXPORT TRADE.

It is a somewhat remarkable circumstance that coincident with the opening of tho rabbit export season the Department of Agriculture seems to be imbued with sudden concern for the landowners, and the inspectors, acting no doubt under orders from their chief, commence forthwith to harass the unoffending farmers for failing to keep the rabbits under "to the satisfaction of the inspector." It is certainly ,-omewhat anomalous that the department remains tolerably quiescent during the greater pan of the year in connection with the destruction of rebbits, and seems to concentrate all its energies into one effort to destroy the rabbits at the very time v. hen the agents of the rabbit exporters are arranging with landowners and trappers throughout the country for the season's supply. Yet this appears to be what the department is doing, if we may judge from the number of cases befoie the courts recently reported in the country papeiv. The Department of Agriculture displays a Mongolian tenacity of purpose, and prefers to go on along bhe olel lines, unconscious of the fact that the rabbit question has as.sunied an entirely new phase owing to the large annual export of frozen rabbits to London. The export has now attained such dimensions that it seems doubtful whether ia&t year's volume can

be maintained, even supposing the Department of Agriculture refrained from its high-handed procedure and left the rabbits alone in the principal export districts. Referring to the rabbit trade in London, the Fish Trades Gazette of date December 23, 1599, says: "While it is widely known that the imports of frozen rabbits from Australasia have been .steadily increasing, it will be a surprise to some to learn that the total weight of frozen rabbits imported from the colonies mentioned in the 11 months ended November 30 amounted to no less a total than 11,875 tons, or 1850 tons more than in the corresponding period of last year." In the last animal report of the Department of Agriculture Mr Ritchie says : " The number of rabbits exported for the period ending 31st March is 4,214,962, or an increase of 1,984,570 over last year." Yet in the face of that fact, supported by the testimony of the paper quoted, the department continues its ancient policy of compelling- the farmers to poison the rabbits at great cost and inconvenience, instead of allowing them to be turned to profitable account. It is estimated by the principal exporters here that the past season's export was something like 5,000,000 rabbits, but that these figures cannot be maintained this season on account of the growing scarcity of rabbits. Last season the trappers had to push as far back into -the out districts as it will probably be found profitable to carry rabbits, so that there will be no new ground to break this year. Rabbits were trapped as far back as Alexandra from Dunedin, Benmorc from Oamaru, Bihckmount from Inrercargill. and Skipper- from Qneenstown, the rabbit* iv this latter c:bc being conveyer 1 by vrao^ouf,, steamer, and rail before re, clung the freezing work 0 . It seems highly improbable, therefore, that the industry can be carried any farther into the back country. The rabbit export industry has assumed such dimensions isi this colony that it represents a considerable annual value, and is the means of distributing large sums of money amongst the landowners and trappers. It need not be a matter for surprise, therefore, that some landowners disclose a tendency to leave the rabbits alone till such time as the export season comes round, when more can be earned by trapping rabbits for export than by ordinary farm work in a good many instances. Trappers have been able to earn from £2 to £6 per week in the height of the reason, and the small farmer may be excused if he and his sons prefer to trap the rabbits for export instead of going to the expense of poisoning them merely for the purpose of destroying them. So remunerative w;;s rabbit-trapping last season that in several districts it was found difficult to get men for harvesting. The export value of last season's rabbits may be estimated as follows: — Allowing 200,000 crates for the 5,000,000 rabbits exported last season, the value per crate is about 14 s - (f.0.b.) here, representing a total of £140,000, which shows the local value of the industry. The trappers got an average of 7d per pair for the rabbits, representing a sum of over £72,000 distributed amongst the workers. As a matter of fact, the export value^of the rabbits sent out of the colony was a quarter greater than that of the cheese exported, while the new industry has afforded lucrative employment for a large number of men, including many who previously filled the ranks of the unemployed. In the agricultural report Mr Ritchie says : " Last season a large number of the rabbits shipped were found on arrival in London to be unfit for consumption. This was not to be wondered at, considering the treatment they received from the time they were trapped to being placed in the freezing chamber." The 1898 season is here referred to; but last season saw a marked improvement in the handling of the rabbits. That the rabbits sent to London were of a superior class the prices quoted for thorn wholesale in the London Central Market proves. While the best Australian rabbits sold at from 9d to 9^d each, the best New Zealand realisccl lOd to 10. Ul, the quotations for all grades being higher for New Zealand rabbits. Notwithstanding the fact that a good many rabbits exported in LS9B were carelessly handled, some of the principal exporters hero, who have beeu in the trade since its inauguration, have had none rejected in London. . One exporter showed us correspondence in which a large London wholesale dealer gives him unstinted praise for the quality of the rabbits sent to his order last season, and backs up that good opinion by ordering half a million rabbits of last season's quality this season. This large order from a single dealer tho exporter in question feels unable to execute, in view of the growing scarcity of rabbits* and ccm§e-

quently has cabled offering to supply 300,000 only. These things point to the suicidal policy the department ivitli' wrong-headed persistency is pursuing, as its chief endeavour appears to be to' cripple an important industry. If ati the present time, when there is a good demand 'for New Zealand hemp, the department were to compel the farmers to clear off all the flax off their land, their; action would be on a par witli that of the persistent .system of rabbit prosecutions being conducted. The rabbit export trade is now. of .so great importance to the colony; that the time has come when the de* partrnent of Agriculture ought to encourage it, in/stead of trying by every, means in their power to cripple it. It ik quite evident that the Rabbit Nuisance Act requires amendment in the direction of giving magistrates some discretion in the cases brought before themj and of taking away the arbitrary powers of the inspectors, which are quite at variance with the spirit of justice " supposed to underlie all English law. It is amoot question, however, whether rabbits have not now ceased to be a nuisance, and whether the opinion of the Fish Trades Gazette, which says, "The old curse of rabbits in Australasia is becoming a blessing," is not pretty near the mark.