H.—lB.

Persistent efforts should be made to protect all natural enemies to the rabbit, and introduce and turn out ferrets or animals of a similar class, provided lambs would be safe from them. (3.) Great arid marked progress has been made in getting tho pest under, especially on many of the larger runs where the country was poisoned on a face. (4.) Fourteen. (5.) About £787. (6.) About 24,000 acres. (7.) About 64,000 acres. (8.) 7001b. (9.) £140. (10.) None. (11.) 1661b. (12.) 5241b. (13,) Unknown at present. (14.) Nine. (15.) Seven. (16.) Two. (17.) None. General Rcmarks.-*-Numbers of rabbits killed in Vincent County from Ist April, 1882, to 31st March, 1883: On Wanaka Station, 54,363; on Earnscleugh Station, 96,563; on Hawksburn Station, 72,000; on Teviot Station, 27,261; on Mount Pisa Station, 116,720; on Kawarau Station, 118,000; on Galloway Station, 204,000; on Moutere Station, 77,000; on Matakanui Station, 30,000; on Morven Hills Station, 60,000; on Ardgour Station, 180,000; ou Ida Valley Station, 119,442; on commonages and Crown lands, 65,000: total, 1,220,349. This total represents the number of rabbit killed from which pelts were taken. As the bulk of these were killed by poison, and as from experience I have no reason to doubt that for every poisoned rabbit picked up at least four are undiscovered in burrows and holes, I estimate the number of rabbits actually destroyed in the. Vincent County during the twelve months from the Ist April, 1882, to the 31st March, 1883, at 5,000,000.

From Babbit Inspector Bouechier, Queenstown. (1.) The means adopted in this district have been by phosphorized grain—viz., wheat and oats— as well as trapping, and in some instances shooting. Several of the largest owners have, lately turned out ferrets on the different properties belonging to them. (2.) That the Government should turn out large quantities of ferrets, he, in the spring, when the rabbits are thinned after the winter poisoning, and so keep them under, as that is the time they breed fastest. (3.) There was great progress made during the past year, especially in the winter-time, and I am quite justified in stating that there is not one rabbit in the district this year for every twenty on the same ground as last. But, from both the good feed and splendid season, the rabbits bred extremely fast. (4.) Nineteen. (5.) £411165. 6d. (6.) 93,143 acres. (7.) 230,143 acres. (8.) 4001b. (9.) £75. (10.) 501b. (11.) 3501b. (12.) None.1 (13.) Over 250,000. (14.) Ten. (15.) Ten. (16.), (17.) None. General Remarks.— The rabbits are not nearly so plentiful this year as they were last, and I think that, from the manner in which the different owners are commencing operations this year, there will be far less in this district next season. There is, however, the inaccessibility of the country to be taken into consideration, and it is such that it is necessary to be personally acquainted with the district before any idea of it can properly be formed, rabbits being in places where it is perfectly impossible for men to get at.

From Babbit Inspector Douglass, Invercargill. (1.) Phosphorized grain solely during winter; on runs during summer dogs and digging-out; a limited quantity of bisulphide of carbon and a few charcoal fumigators were also used; on farms, trapping and ferreting, and very little shooting. Government fumigators were engaged by farmers adjoining railway-line. (2.) None. (3.) Taking the district as a whole Ido not think there is one rabbit to every ten last year. The bush and river frontages are the most difficult to deal with. From close observation I believe the doe-rabbits go into the bush during winter and come on to the river-banks to breed. (4.) Twenty-one. (5.) £1,300. (6.) Open country, 150,000 acres ; ground actually poisoned (below snow-line), 65,000 acres; also several hundred miles of bush frontages and small rights in same. (7.) 160,000 acres. (8.) Only 501b. from Government. (9.) £9 7s. 6d. (10.) 3,2001b. prepared grain, at 2d. per lb. (11.) 50 Ib. (12.) None. (13.) Impossible to say, returns being made at port of shipment. (14.) Nine. (15.) Eight. (16.) One. (17.) William Stevens, of Beaumont Station (paid) ; Bichard Spence, of Heddon Bush ; James Quin, William Walker,.and John Smith, of Otautau. General Remarks. —The fines for persistent neglect should be heavier. In large holdings it is much cheaper to pay even £20 every month than employ requisite labour. I have found the threat to put men on (under Section 11) most effectual in several cases. Where a block of land is being dealt with, if one man neglects to do his share, his neighbours get restocked before proceedings can be taken, and their time and expenses wasted.

From Babbit Inspector Macdonald, Gore. (1.) Phosphorus-poisoning extensively ; fumigating with bisulphate of carbon, charcoal, and sulphur, by exterminators, iodide of potassium, steeline in cartridges, tried in burrows ; trapping, spring traps, in the open. (2.) All that the ingenuity of man has as yet discovered has been tried, but, in my opinion, an incentive to summer killing, to encourage extermination at a vital period, would have a sensible impression, viz., a bonus for the young ones, and destroy the incentive to perpetuate the nuisance. (3.) Substantial, and considerable relief has resulted. The summer increase, however, keeps up a never-failing supply. Destroy in the breeding season. (4.) Eighteen. (5.) £258 7s. 9d. (6.) 30,000 acres. (7.) 350,000 acres. (8.) About 400 lb. (9.) About £80. (10.) About 2001b. (11.) 200 Ib. (12.) 101b. (13.) Approximately, 900,000. (14.) Fourteen. (15.) Twelve. (16.), (17.) None. General Remarks. —l would urge the necessity of bringing pressure upon the Lands Department to adopt a statesmanlike policy in dealing with the under-mentioned classes of unoccupied lands : Lands that have been for years set aside as for settlement under deferred payment, but totally unfit for that purgose ; reserves that bave no specific purpose; runs that have no intrinsic value beyond the cost of clearing them of rabbits; and endowments for public purposes: all under the control of, irresponsible Land Boards, who know nothing of rural economy. In connection with this Act such lands will soon cost more than their fee-simple value.

From Babbit Inspector Hickson, Tapanui. (1.) Every means have been adopted—poisoning with phosphorus in the proper season, dogs, and digging-out with spades, trapping, snaring, Burt's exterminator, bisulphate of carbon, bran and 2—H. 18.

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