THE RABBIT PEST.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1887, 13 April 1892, Page 3

THE RABBIT PEST.

Dnring the last few days, Mr Hassell, rabbit inspector, has been on a visit to the Tnapeka West, Waitahuna, and Waipori districts with the object of satisfying himself that proper steps are being taken to keep down the rabbits. Between twenty and thirty landowners in different parts of the districts named have been notified that they must take steps to destroy the rabbits on their property, otherwise action would be taken to enforce compliance with the law on the subject. In most instances the landowners have been wise enough to recognise the prudence of early compliance with the official intimation received, and by taking prompt action have saved themselves from unnecessary expense and trouble. But there are others again who are slow to move, however abundant the visible evidences of their inaction may be around them, apparently unable or unwilling to understand that the longer a work of this kind is delayed the greater the labour and difficulty it involves, to say nothing of the legal expense and worry that accompany it. The inspector.it should be noted, has no desire to increase the labours of the settlers during the present busy season, but he is determined, once the harvest has been completed, to insist on a rigorous compliance with the law. In this respect the inspector is acting with, a good deal of consideration, particularly when the activity of rabbit inspectors in other districts just now is taken into consideration. And it is to be hoped that at the conclusion of the harvest the settlers will themselves, without any official urging, set about the destruction of the pest, not alone because the law compels them, but because it is their own interest to do so.

The qunnjßiby of wool catalogued to date for the London sales is 141,000 bales, of which 134,000 have been sold. Merino has advanced to Jd to Id higher than closing rates of February sales, but good scoured has not yet reached that point. Crossbred maintain their position. Foreign buyers are animated in their- biddin.g