The Rabbit Pest in Victoria

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6243, 16 June 1890, Page 3

The Rabbit Pest in Victoria

Victoria is an example of how rabbits increase and spread in these Australasian colonies. Not a decade ago the ravages of the pest did not extend beyond about twenty shires. At the present time about a hundred shires are occupied, in most cases by countless numbers of these animals. 'lhe losses to individual farmers and to the country generally through this rabbit plague may be put down ns incalculable ; while the outlay of the Government, in carrying out different measures for the suppression of the nuisance, has totted up to upwards of £140,000 ; this amount, in addition to what landholders themselves have spent in endeavouring to kill off the rabbits and fence crops against their attacks. During 1888-89 the expenditure by Government on rabbit extermination was £18,700. For the present year Parliament has voted the large sum of £194,450, £32,000 of which is for killing rabbits, the remainder for advances to shires for the purchase of wire netting, etc, bringing up the amouut to £331,450, as the cost to Government in putting down the pest. In the history of the operations against rabbits, a fresh ora has commenced in Victoria, the clauses qf a new Act having been proclaimed in operation,which makes it incumbent upon every owner and every occupier of infested land to use the best of his moans and ability in clearing said lands of rabbits. For several years the administration of Babbit Acts had been left in the hands of the authorities, with the effect

that in the place of the plague being kept } under; it has continued to spread with I alarming strides, until it is now established 'in almost every part of the colony. An end ' has come to this divided authority, and Government assumes control over tho whole infested land, whether alienated or not. Tho rabbit country is said to comprise an area of 44,000,000 acres, and through tho passing of tho Act at present in force, it is now for the first time possible for the work of extermination to be, according to tho wording of tho clause " simultaneously commenced, continued and performed.” In order to effectually carry on ths work, a now department has been created, the staff of inspectors having been increased to sixty-one, and as showing the amount of clerical labour involved, the printed matter sent through the post office in connection with bringing into effect the new Vermin Ant aggregated over half-a-ton in weight The methods to be employed in the extermination of rabbits arc chiefly poisoning by means of chaff, or other such food as may be found most suitable in different districts, treated with a of arsenic, and, above all, the complete digging out of all burrows and the destruction of such harbours as brush fences. Tho penalty which may be imposed upon any person who foils to take proper steps to clear his land on the day named in the Govei nment proclamation" is specified in tho Act as follows : “Any occupier or. owner who shall after such day have failed to have fully and continuously performed such duty to the best of his means and ability shall thereupon be guilty of an offence against this Act, and shall on conviction pay for such offence a sum of not ie?s than £3 nor more than £SO in addition to any other penalty or liability to which he may be subject, upon proof being given that in the opinion of the chief inspector such occupier or owner has falied to have fully and continuously performed such duty to the best of his means and ability; the burden of proof that such occupier or owner has complied with the provisions of this section shall lie on tho defendant,"