THE RABBIT NUISANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1455, 13 August 1883, Page 2

THE RABBIT NUISANCE.

The ftimual report of % Superior tending Inspector was prpsentgd fg flip Hoiise yesterday. The repoiVjs fo|!, ; . the year ending 30th June, 1883, The '* - Amended llabbit Act came into forco ■ in September, 1882, and the measure .' has been fairly successful, The' Inspecters' reports sliow that a more than perceptible diminution has been etlec- .. ted. The great difficulty is the large area of waste lands, together with the different .reserves;:and it is recomiiwntied that these be temporarily disposed of for grazing purposes, on condition that the rabbits bo destroyed during: Hie tenures. ..The.importation of the stoat and weasel is recommended, as ; the natural enemies of the rabbit. The'-'" introduction of tho ferret lias not been ; .' . entirely successful; disease sometimes carrying off a shipment, and it is recom- ■ mended that a bonus be given for breeding them in the colony. Though in parts a hardier animal is required, • ■ those turned out are doing good work.'-" *( Breeding establishments fof the ferret} ) have been formed at Master- (/> ton, and Ohristehurcli, I grain is still acknowledged to.bp t|<r;; • | cheapest and most efficacious method'•••' pf dealing with the pest in large areas,', • LWhero combined efforts have been-' made the results are satisfactory, - Arsenic with carrots in some localities':' lias been successful. Unless some new / means of destruction be devised the. annual destruction of rabbits must be tax on the country, The suggestion ,to introduce disease is not : approved, the risk to stock and human beings being too great, It is recommended that reward of several thousand pounds .. should be offered for some safe, comprehensive means of destruction, so that scientific men might turn their attention to the to the subjeot, and that such should be extensively advertised in all the leading papers of Great Britain' "and. the Continent. The area infected is slfjwly but surely increasing.,;, ;Tfe ykl of exterminating, Wellington and 1 Mastertoiv 'iMMp- 7 ' Blenheim 1 £BO j 1 Kaikoura, v '£43; Oamaru, £180; Dunedin, ' £1134; Nasebyj £6; Clyde, £787.; Tuapeka;> ,7 < ■ £153; Queenstown; £412:; Invercar- 5 gill, £1300; Southland, £258,;, total 847; for|i4i,62() acres. ' The. oosti f ' phosphorug ; ]ftsed has been £568 12s/ j The Skins exported • from ' the colony ■- • - have beon duiing/thtjJyear, ■- ,and the estimated area of CroWni»jidg-< : ;i----to be dealt' with this year js acres .—Evening Post. ' •• W»w Zrrh-UY. .

VENUS ANFSAM(! r > . _ Asto/y is fold at'frome Avljicli) liad it been told'tt few montlis ago, would probably ■, Lavo.-bueu - claimed ;as','the original of ono. of the scenos in " lolantho," wherein the Queen of'.tho Fairifcs is 1 niftdc to liuuTytlie ijpntry of Westminster, Palace. A grenadier,on guard at Somerset House, London, was 1 recently, standing in the,gatoway ( >when a lady of maturo age., hut still attractive autl richly dressed, accosted him witli kiulsome eulogies of bis martial figure, and warm, approval of tho.style in n whichho protected jiis Queen and couutry in the great dynamite imis. ThomaSi■ Atkins 'w'aa nat'iinilly surprised at this; but his surprise grew when the lady ofiercd him licr lmnd as a regard for his valiant vigilance. The tender was liberally iiiado, and'.took the fair enthusiast' \i'eaclifc(l forth.' * Before ■ tlie flatted :sentinol ' could act on this strange proposal,' tho policeman on duty interposed, with a n brijtal command to moyb on and not annoy the sentry. The : ;l«dy' obeyed with graceful courtesies, and'wafted kisses at the grenadier till she turned tlie corner on t of sight. Every afternoon this then unknown spinal' i presented herself, and went through the same form, minus tho'£so.note, Sho simply entered tho gateway, ; stood opposite the sentry, regarded him 1 with an expression of rapture, addressed him with gestures of ecstacy,. assured him of undying attachment, and then passed away, flinging back sweet kisses. ' As the sentry is changed. every day, the lady's passion was clearly regimental rather than individual. "It has since transpired that sho is of high family connection—the sister of, a gentleman well known in society, who died recently, leaving her a large fortune. She is allowed to pursue'' hor harmless passion,'' and a crowd assembles daily to. see the transit of Venus'across the march of Mars,