PBESIDENT'b 4DDBH0I .'VJ 



Besides the destruction of the flora and fauna, there is another 

 very important aspect of the rabbit-question, that cannot be over- 

 Looked. The effect that the constant killing of rabbits, often id a 

 very brutal manner, has upon the minds of the people engaged in 

 rabbit trapping, is to be deplored. The callous way in which boys 

 and girls treat maimed rabbits, has been frequently noted. The 

 School [nspector of the STass district recently reported that 20 pet 

 Cent. <>! the children in the smaller schools were engaged in trap 

 ping. When rabbiting is seriously undertaken, it occupies a great 

 pari, of the time of the children when out of school, and seriously 

 encroaches on their hours of Bleep, as they work at the traps till 

 late at night. Opinions differe among the teachers as to its effect, 



but there is a general consensus of opinion that it induces not only 



physical, but also mental and moral deterioration. In the Mudgee 

 district, over two hundred children are engaged in rabbiting, from 

 (Jour to six months in the year. 



On the other hand, it is claimed that the rahlut has created an 



important industry, employing a great many people at good wages, 

 collecting and distributing a valuable food supply. The pecuniary 

 value of the rabbit industry is certainly important. Frozen rabbits 



and hares exported IVoin New South Wales last year (1912) were 



valued at £252,053, and exported skins at £318,930, while the esti- 

 mated value of by-products totalled another £57,000. The total i'or 

 the Commonwealth, for frozen rabbits and skins, readied 

 £1,053,391. ' ' 



In spite of this large sum returned IVoin rabbit-trapping, it is 



not a. I rue source of Wealth, hut a parasitic growth upon our most 

 important wealth, the sheep and wool ; and Australia would he much 

 richer without it. The rabbit has, and still is, destroying annually 

 millions of pounds' worth of OUr best assets. On one station alone, 

 in a, single season, a honus of sixpence per scalp was paid on 



500, ooo rabbits, in one season, in New Zealand, in L886, it was 

 estimated that the rabbits were eating the grass of from Ave to six 



millions sheep, and costing, per a.uniini, at least £1,500,000. 



The hare {Lepus europaeua) is so closely related to the rabbit, 



that it is hardly necessary to deal with it in detail. It was intro- 



