MASTERTON RABBIT DISTRICT

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 752, 26 April 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON RABBIT DISTRICT

inspector's report,

Masterton, April 22, The Chairman Masterton Rabbit Trustees.

Sir—l have the Uoiiqii to l'epoifc that since flje date of my appointment as Inspector to your Board, on the 11th inst., I have made a tour of inspection, 60 far as time would permit, taking first the distriots most infected, in. accordance wit!} instructions.

On the 12th inst. I visited the properties occupied by the Mowlhg'landownera; Messrs B, Campbell, A. McLeo'd,Jaoob Joseph, Mrs Moles, ; H. Ohristiensen, Walter Harris* H. Campbell, J. Campbell, E. Welch, and H. Bannister. With the exception of the first-mentioned of these, and in the case of Mr Joseph, notices were either served personally, left at the resi-' decde, or posted conspicuously on the ground in each instance. Of these, the resident occupiers, are in my opinion, doing whaji they oan to tl}6 rabbits on their respective properties in check; the excessive dryness Qi tiie Reason is, however, muoh against successful dealing with the pest. Mr Jaoob'Josoph and Mrs Moles have no resident oooupiers on their lands. On the property of the former arrangements have been made for destroy--ing the rabbits, which are not very numerous-there now. On .Mrs Moles' land_ npihjng is being done to keep the rabbits down] and I have coinmunipated with MrsMoies' 1 agent on the subject. ' s 'On the following day! visited' the properties owned by Messrs Cripps and Morrison. ° Nothing is being done to kill the rabbits on either of Jlies'e on which the pest is very numerous, anj I posted notices, on the ground ;in each oase,'infonmng the owners'by post card thatthis.kas been done. I- also on the same.day left notices at the'residences of

Messrs Douglas and J. Welch, -AregulM rabbitman is being kept jointly by Messrs Weloh and Douglas, and the rabbits are kept fairly in check. I proceeded; thence to Messrs Holmes. Here rabbits, solar as! had time to examine the country, are weU kepi in check about the homestead. On thejboundary of the native land about the banks of the Waipoua the rabbits are very numerous. It is, however, aa exceedingly difficult matter to get,at them now, as the river is almost dry, andjne logs afford an excellent cover tor veufin. Mr Holmes' rabbiter is constantly (found in this direction, but very little can be • done until the .weather admits of poisoning beingco'mmenced. Beturnmgthence, I inspected the property of Captain Holmwood. There are but few rabbits on this holding, what hunting is necessary being done by a man employed : by Captain Holmwood, but whose tirHeis not wholly employed in this work. ; Proceeding from thence, delivering notices asTwent on, I passed through thei properties, owned by Messrs "Whitcher, Everett; McPhee, Baker,, Smith, King,; and W-,and. H, Welch. On all, of these properties the rabbits are numerous. . ' . • On the 14th I visited the' propetfjesof E. McKenzie, Munro, F. -Gray, anW&B W. L. Dorset.- On the first of thes|the rabbits are well kept down.- On mm Munro and Gray's land, and on the/back part of Mrs Dorset's, the-rabbits are numerous. In each case, however, the owners have promised tokeep someone killing until the weather permits of poiOn the following day I visited Messrs B. McKay, J. McLachlan, E. Hare, 0. McLachlin, I. Stuokey, Tuck (Brandon's clearing) D. MoLachlini and W. Day. Of these the properties of Messrs J. McLachlan, D. McLachlin, andW.Dayarernuch infested, comparatively little appears to be done on the two latter, but on Mr J. MoLaohlan's considerable efforts are being made—both by hunting Vand clearing, ~- v scrub—to get rid of the *""'■ On the 16th I visited Mr A. Stewart's, G. Manning's, and J. Dorset's properties. Messrs Stewart rnd Manning's land being pretty clear the rabbits are not numerous. On Mr Dorset's the rabbits are thick on the portion known as the boulder bank, but they are kept down about the homestead. The boulder bank is a difficult place to get rabbits out of. On the 18th I visited the settlement of . Mauriceville. A few rabbits have been I seen on the road leading to this settle- f ment, but from my knowledge of the ground • I do not think it necessary to make any special report about it, nor did I serve auy notices on the landowners i there.

The next day I visited the properties of Messrs Martin, Blatohford, and Gibson. Thevo are very few rabbits on the two first of these, and I ani of opinion efficient steps are being taken to keep them in cheek. Thepestisstillnuinerousonsome parts of Mr Gibson's land, but every effort is being made by him to keep them down, under the .disadvantage of being bounded on one Bide by Government and. native land, which is almost alive with rabbits. On the 20th I served a notice on Mr T L. Thompson. Being on my way to Upper Taueru I had not time, to inspect this property. I visited next day" ths properties of Messrs Percy, A. W.'Cavo, Moore, C. Campbell, J. Bennett, Ljvjng.stone, and Hatfield, On the properly belonging to Messrs' Percy and Cave there are very few rabbits.- On those belonging to Messrs Moore, Campbell, Bennett, and Livingstone there is evidence of the rabbits having been numerous. Men have been employed by these parties through most.ot.the.'summer in killing with dogs, guns, and ferrets, but the nature Of the country is difficult work, on account* the logs and sorub. Oh Mr Hatfield's Vin, the rabbits are very numerous. Mr Hatfield was away from home,., so I was unable to ascertain what steps.were being taken to keep the' rabbits in ch§ok, jnu) whatever is being done is insufficient in my opinion. I next visited, on the 21st the property of Messrs Tancred and Hood. " The rabbits are not numerous on this property. but I did not inspect it sufficiently to be able to give a thorough report as to its condition, On Mr Carman's land, which I then visited, fhere are very few rabbits. I proceeded'thence to Mr B. P. Pgrry's land, Here I find on the boundary &d ; joining Mr J. McKenzie's the rabbits jre. numerous, but not elsewhere—steps being . taken to keep them in check. The native, land between Mr Perry and McKenzie is very much infested with rabbits. On Mr J, MoKenfcie's land (which, it appears, i» divided into three holdings) considerable efforts are being macjeby the occupiers to dear their land of scrub and : fetn tljjs year, besides'which a regular rabbiter is kept, The rabbits'are, however, rhorg numerous on the portion occupied Mr ■Donald McKenzie than on those portions in the occupation of his father and Mr Henry James Proceeding thence t ser-vpi} notjces vpn Messrs Mggay, Falloon, and H. T. jorie§ i fyjt Qwjng ft tho lateness of the hpur j was unablg (q make any inspection of these holdings, • I have to report that, owing to the excessive dryn'esS;of the season, landowners have been prevented from taking, suoh steps as are neoessary to reduce the rabbits. All, however, are preparing, to poison thoroughly as soon as the weather is favorable, In- view of this fact, and as it is generally admitted that under very exceptional circumstances rabbits have increased throughout the district, notwithstanding thaf efforts hjvp bgen made, In manyinstanqeji'to keep them' jrp oljes and landowners have inouHeoV lieayy expense in the endeavor to do this, I airi of the opinion that it would be inadvisable to press owners too hard at the present moment, unless in such cases "as exhibit deliberate neglect. If, when the weather admits of poisoning" being commenced, steps are not taken, I think the Aot should be earned out as strictly as possible. I have, &c, . Jas. Harvey, Jun., Inspector,