H.—l4

6

From Rabbit Inspector Cooke, Wuiau. (1.) Poisoned grain and turning out of natural enemies, some shooting, also trapping. (2.) Nothing new. (3.) Eabbits so far well in check. (4.) None. (5.), (6.), (7.) None. (8.) None. (9.), (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.) None. (14.) Four. (15.) Yes, twenty; rabbits disappeared from where ferrets put out. (16.) Estimate about 1,000; results good. General Remarks. — By dint of much looking after rabbit-infested places, good work has been done. Since forming the North Amuri Eabbit Board, some 1,000 stoats and weasels have been distributed and turned out; also about 1,000 ferrets and about 800 cats. Eabbits are certainly spreading over a greater area ; but do not appear, in the aggregate, to be more numerous. From Eabbit Inspector Fostee, Christchurch, in charge Canterbury District. (1.) At Aketerawa the chief means used have been rabbitcrs ; a little poisoning has been done, and ferrets turned out. In other parts shepherds have been employed rabbiting. (2.) A few stoats and weasels should be liberated on Mr. Sinclair's, at Mesopotamia; and the islands in the Waitaki, Ohau, and Tekapo should be dealt with this winter. (3.) At Aketerawa rabbits have increased, and probably also in the immediate neighbourhood; elsewhere the reports from Inspectors, agents, and surveyors show that rabbits have decreased. (4.), (5.), ((3.), (7.), (8.), (9.) Nil. (10.) One; Turnbull Miller. (11.) One. (12.), (13.) Nil. (14.) Three. (15.) Yes; 367 in South Canterbury, with good results. (16.) Nil. General liemarks. —lt is confidently expected that the Hurunui Eabbit Board's fence, and those being erected in South Canterbury, will prevent any serious influx of rabbits into this distrct. The rabbits in the Eangitata and Ashburton Upper Districts will be vigorously dealt with this winter ; and, beyond a few stoats and weasels for Mr. Sinclair, I do not anticipate any necessity for further Government expenditure. From Eabbit Inspector Sutton, Timaru. (1.) On the stations rabbiters have been employed, as well as poisoned grain, in the winter months. This summer a number of ferrets have been turned out. (2.) Stoats and weasels should be turned out in the high country that is covered with snow in winter. All islands in the large rivers should be dealt with this winter. (3.) Eabbits have increased on some of the runs on the north bank of the Waitaki Eiver ; in other parts of the district the destructors of the pest have kept them from increasing. (4.), (5.), (6.) Nil. (7.) 4ilb. (8.) 41b. (9.) Ulb. (10.) One; Mr. T. Miller. (11.) One. (12.), (13.) Nil. (14.) One. (15.) 347 on Eangitata" Island and Waitaki County ; results good. (16.) Nil. General liemarks —Poisoning, whore necessary, should be commenced next month (May), and where any ferrets have been liberated they should receive every protection from rabbiters, also in country that has been poisoned in winter months. From Eabbit Inspector H. S. Thomson, Omarama. (1.) The use of phosphorized grain in winter; packs of dogs and digging out during summer. Ferrets have been liberated on Benmore, and on the unoccupied Crown lands at head of Lake Ohau. (2.) That the natural enemy, especially stoats and weasels, be turned out on the back country in as large numbers as can be procured. (3.) On the runs which were most infested a largo diminution in rabbits is perceptible, on others there is an increase. (4.), (5.) None. (6.) 66,000 acres, of which 20,000 may be available for pastoral purposes. (7.) 211b. (8.) None. (9.) 191b. (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.) None. (14.) One; E. Campbell and Co., Benmoro. (15.) 150. No appreciable results. A few of the ferrets have been lately^secn. (16.) 650 by E. Campbell and Co., Benmore. Eabbits still on increase, though numbers of nests have been found destroyed by ferrets. From Eabbit Inspector Clifton, Dunedin, in charge Otago District. (1.) Chief means the use of phosphorized grain; liberation of the natural enemy; trapping. (2.) That scientific means of rabbit destruction be tested, and its application, if proved innocuous to stock. The introduction of the natural enemy, particularly the stoat. (3.) Pest reduced from destructive numbers. (4.) Fifty-nine. (5.) £2,159 9s. Bd. (6.) Commonages, runs, reserves, bushfrontages, &c.: total area about 1,187,560 acres. (7.) 889|lb. (8.) 2801b. (9.) 474£1b. (10.) Eleven. (11.) Ten. (12.) One. (13.) Twenty-seven. (14.) Fifty-seven. (15.) 2,713; satisfactory. (16.) 2,960 ; satisfactory. General Bemarks. —Application, if innocuous to stock, of scientific means of rabbit destruction. Service of notice under section Bof Eabbit Act to be repealed. Wire-netting fences to be made legal, and power given to compel adjoining owner to pay half cost. Power should be given Inspectors to compel owners to cut or destroy gorse- and broomfences. The introduction of the natural enemy. From Eabbit Inspector Fullarton, Oamaru. (1.) Poisoning, dogging, digging out, ferreting, and shooting. (2.) I would recommend that the natural enemies, viz., stoats, weasels, and ferrets be liberated on the rough country up the Waitaki, (3.) Fair progress has been made over the district in general. On some parts of the Waitaki, owing o a heavy fall of snow when laying the poisoned grain, there was not the destruction that otherwise would have been. (4.) Four. (5.) £108 18s. 6d. (6.) Unoccupied and abandoned country. Area about 81,000 acres; very poor rough country. (7.), (8.) None. (9.) 201b. (10.), (11.), (12.), (13.) None. (14.) One. (15.) Ninety; results not known yet. (16.) 650. Have not made themselves felt. General liemarks. —Should suggest that the phosphorized grain should be mixed in an iron drum or cylinder, not, as often is the case, in a wooden barrel; and not less than lib. phosphorus