RABBIT MENACE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16405, 11 April 1924, Page 6

RABBIT MENACE.

PROTESTS AGAINST FINES

(Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, last night. At a meeting of the Otago Provincial Council of tiie Farmers’ Union to-day, a letter was received front Lawrence stating that the following resolution had been passed “That in view of fines inflicted on farmers prosecuted by the rabbit, inspector in the MagisirateV Court, Lawrence, on February' 19, in spite of the trustworthy' and disinterest ed evidence hv several farmers, showing that reasonable efforts had been made to cope with the pest, this branch protests against the law that forces a- Magistrate to take an inspector's word against the weight, of evidence'. This branch trusts that the union will do all in its puwt-i to have the unjustly inflicted lines re milted, and to have repealed the law Hud depicts a. farmer accused of not making sufficient, efforts to destroy rabbits the right to a, hearing enjoyed by the lowest criminal in the, land. During Hie discussion it was stated fitlyt. there was no redress in regard to rabbits on Government, land. The worst •sort of justice, was dealt out to the man who had the misfortune to hold proper I v adjacent to Government, land. Mr. J. S. Maephcrsun moved that llie executive communicate with tin: Minister of Agriculture, drawing his attention to what farmers and past ora lists regard as an inequality of justice in dieted as bet ween the man who had done n considerable amount, of work and tho man who hud done nothing to destroy rabbits, and that- he ho asked to use bis best efforts to bring about- an

improved state of affairs. Tho motion was carried unanimously. It was also resolved that the attention of thoi Minister he drawn to the impracticability of carrying out the law as it stands at present.