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mencos, simultaneous action should bo made compulsory when required by Inspector or agent; that cats should be liberated in addition to ferrets ; that the present system of giving notices should be done away with and the Inspectors empowered to act summarily ; that Inspectors should be empowered to cause owners to cut or destroy overgrown gorse fences without entering in on such lands under section 11 of the Babbit Act; that in a rabbit district landholders should be prohibited from planting gorse or broom fences. (3.) Cannot speak from personal experience, being only lately arrived ; but from information gathered in my travels I find that the rabbits are only numerous in patches here and there, and not so thick as in previous years. (4.) 18. (5.) £250 11s. 2d. (6.) Nearly 300,000 acres, chiefly bush, including commonage, mining, and minor reserves; Runs 214, 423. 190e, and 190b ; the latter being fair grazing country in the summer. (7.) 2241b. (8.) 2801b. (9.) 1211b. (10.) One. (11.) One. (12.) Nil. (13.) School Commissioners of Otago, New Zealand Trust and Loan Company, New Zealand Mortgage and Investment Association, W. Saunders, Sew Hoy, Harper and Co., C. C. Kettle, E. Johnstone, H. Driver, and J. McLaren. (14.) Twelve. (15.) 318. In some localities where ground is suitable good results have ensued, especially in the breeding season, when young rabbits are plentiful. (16.) Unable to say accurately from personal experience, but have heard of several lots turned out. General Remarks. —lt is said by the farmers that the rabbits have done better this year than ever, as the spring was so favourable. The great drawbacks to exterminating the rabbits in this district are the over-abundance of feed all the summer ; the subsoil being of a friable, sandy nature, is very favourable to burrowing; the Mokerita District being mostly small holdings, consisting of paddocks surrounded with gorse fences, affording great cover to the pest; and the farmers, being very poor, with heavy liens on their crops and holdings, are actually unable to do much that requires outside labour. From Babbit Inspector Miles, Lawrence. (1.) During winter months phosphorized grain; remainder of year trapping, bisulphide of carbon ignited, shooting, dogging, digging out. Ferrets have also been turned out by two owners, and also by Government. (2.) That ferrets and other natural enemies be bred and liberated on an extensive scale ; also that wire-netting be erected where possible in fencing off rough country. That no ferrets or other natural enemies bo turned loose after March, but be kept at depots, and turned out immediately the breeding season commences. (3.) Excellent work was done during the last poisoning season, but, owing to the continued dry spring and summer, rabbits have again been enabled to breed up, notwithstanding the vigorous efforts used to keep them in check. (4.) One. (5.) £69 15s. (6.) About 60,000 acres, mining and bush reserves, commonages, and unsold sections. About one-third only available for grazing purposes. (7.) 186£lb. (8.) Nil. (9.) 63ilb. (10.) Six. (11.) Six. (12.), (13.) Nil. (14.) Thirteen. (15.) 833 have been turned out on"Molyneux banks and. Pomahaka banks, with apparent success; they are frequently seen at work, and dead rabbits found, evidently killed by them ; also several rabbits have been caught showing signs of having been worried by ferrets. (16.) About 100 have been turned loose on Moa Flat Estate; apparently doing well. General Remarks. —The rabbits are still principally confined to the low country, river banks, &c.; and, in my opinion, this is where we require the ferrets, &c, as being the principal breeding-ground. From Babbit Inspector Scaife, Outram. (1.) Trapping, snaring, shooting, hunting with dogs, and, in some cases, working ferrets. Fumigation is not much practised, though in some parts of the district it would be particularly successful. Have only been in the district since Ist June, so am not in a position to speak about the poisoning. (2.) If possible, clauses should be inserted in the Act rendering it compulsory for landowners in rabbit-infested districts to trim their gorse-fences at least once a year, and not to allow them to grow beyond a stated width. Also that all old sod walls, whore not in use as fences, should be levelled. (3.) Cannot say. (4.) Four. (5.) £67 15s. (6.) As far as I can learn, ten blocks of hundreds, Native, bush, and mining reserves ; comprising about 9,440 acres. About 7,000 acres suitable for grazing purposes. (7.) Cannot say. (8.) No record of any. (9.) 71b. (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.) No record of any. (14.) Four, under contract with Government, also private breeders. (15.) None : 60 sent to Inspector, Queenstown, and 15 sent to G. Nichols, of Abbotsford Station, from Government Depot, Outram. (16.) Yes. Gladbrook Station, about 30 this season. The manager says ferrets have done good work. Mr. Nichol has not turned his out long enough to see result. [Approximate Cost of Taper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,375 copies), £5 7s.J By Authority: Geoeok Didsbuky, Government Printer, Wellington.—lßßß.