The Rabbit Pest In Canterbury.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2075, 1 June 1887, Page 2

The Rabbit Pest In Canterbury.

Speaking on the Rabbit Pest in Canterbury at the quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last Friday, the President said : —“ I desire to strike a solemn note of warning, with all the vehemence of which I am capable, respecting the enormity of the rabbit nuisance, and the tremendous risks that are being run by the weakness of the authorities in dealing with the question. 1 understand that the loss in Southland to the Government alone, through the runs being infested with rabbits, has not been less than £315,000 since 1885, in addition to which individual runholders have suffered enormously. That the plague is threatening Canterbury both from (he north and south no person can deny, and every day lost in attacking the er.omy systematically renders the process when undi rtakeu, more difficult and costly. In my opinion the Government itself should undertake the responsibility of extermination, and impose a rate to provide the necessary funds, otherwise individual efforts will be spasmodic. and those persons of “ a penny wise and pound foolish” tendency will not ri cognise the magnitude of the danger until they arc ruined. Let this question continue to be treated with comparative unconcern, and the TltV.M!K;r’ -ii dll ; time, annually di. ; is,, i ' i.icivaoit L■■ adl c. , .o'.m. /Civ .n. .'0 C.' .1 !::: ..at pie c ■ i ;;!■ t cl. jiuu om W". e j;:;,-. , ; ;i pilcii'. .MU;”V “ I'hat the Chamber views with the greatest concern the encroachment bf the rabbits both from the North and South, and urges upon the utteuti ui of the Government the absolute necessity for systematic ati;i yiuorvu? measures for their eradication before the pest assumes dimensions which must mean a coutiuuous, and possiuly an increasing outlay to keep it in cheek.”