THE RABBIT PEST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2603, 10 September 1909, Page 7

THE RABBIT PEST.

PREVALENT IN HAWKE’S BAY

Writing to the “Hawke’s Bay Herald” Mr. W. H. Roll says:—l am fully convinced that, if the whole of the country was closely inspected by good reliable men with good dogs, the report would bo much worse than Mr. Rennet states. From mv own experience on Patoka for the last six years, the rabbits have been on the increase. Tho number oi fully-grown rabbits killed on Patoka from August 1, 1907, to July 31, 1908, was 130, and from August Ist 190 Sto July 31, 1909, 360, or an increase of 230 in twelve months. The whole of the country is clear of scrub now as compared with its state throe ago. Yet we are calmly told that rabbits arc not on the increase. If I take the inspector’s reports as a guide for Patoka. one would think the place was in good order. But what do I find? The xabbiter can get over the place and not get a trace of rabbits, but give the country a spoil from being hunted over, and in three weeks’ time he can go over the same country and kill 40 fully grown rabbits. And this state of things lias been going on this last 12 months. Now .if these rabbits are on the place, why are they not reported ? And if they are not on the place, I want to know where they are coming from. To prove what I say with regard to the increase of rabbits, I may say that eight years ago one man did all the rabbiting on the Patoka estate, whereas now, in place of its costing £BO to keep bunny under, it is costing £SOO, and the rabbits are still getting ahead. No one can deny this. By carefully reading all the inspectors’ reports over for the last 12 months, it can be seen that the same state of things prevails all over Hawke’s Bay. Not one inspector reports any property as clear.