RABBITS AND SHEEP.

Southland Times, Issue 19276, 21 June 1924, Page 2

RABBITS AND SHEEP.

To the Editor. Sir--I read in the Times recently a small article regarding rabbits and sheep. As to the extermination of the rabbit pest: correspondents have from time to time made suggestions in your columns but they all would only keep the vermin in check and then only if every land owner in each Island, including the Government, etc., could carry out the different ideas of the correspondents at one and the same time, a condition of things, you will admit, is very nearly impossible. The only thing I see for it is to put wire netting round the boundary, at least 1 foot to 18 inches deep, which owing to its cost is prohibitive to the great majority of farmers, etc., and that is about the only reason it is not done and not because the farmer is hoping to make a few bob out of skins in the winter. All of use realise the seriousness of the position. There is nothing more annoying than to see your crop of turnips, or oats or graseaten to the ground for a yard or two in from the fence in spite of ferreting, digging out, trapping, etc. Swedes are catching it hot now and who would not hunt rabbits for a shilling a skin. Even the townies are out here. The Government definitely refuse to import their rabbit netting in large quantities so that it could be sold at half of what it costs just now to buy it from the merchants. Here’s a chance for the Farmers’ Union to prove itself. Import a shipload or two (keeping up the quality) and see how it would sell at cost plus bare expenses. I am, etc., SMALL COCKY.