Mr. Latham further states that "there are runs in Tasmania on which a good shot could bag from 300 to 400 daily six years ago, and now you could not meet 6." He advocates the introduction of ferrets, obtainable at about ros. a pair, which should be turned out wild, and feels confident that knowing New Zealand as well as he does he "could organize such a system as would exterminate the rabbits in a very few years."

REPORT OF CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SHEEP, TASMANIA.

Scarcely agreeing with this statement is the report of the Chief Inspector of Sheep in Tasmania, dated 25th July, 1875. Mr. James Whyte, the gentleman referred to, says:-- "I regret to say that from my own observation while travelling through the country I cannot state that any diminution of this plague has taken place generally. On the contrary I am disposed to believe that although their numbers have been greatly diminished in some parts of the Oatlands and other Midland Districts, where a few years ago they were so numerous; yet, taking the country throughout, there are at the present moment more rabbits than at any former period. They are now to be seen in numbers where a few years ago scarcely a rabbit was to be seen.

"I believe it is no exaggeration whatever to say that at this time rabbits are consuming food which would support 250,000 sheep, which at a moderate calculation is a direct annual loss to the colony of £62,000, without taking into account the money expended in merely keeping them down and mitigating the plague.

"Hitherto the heavy losses sustained from rabbits have been confined to a few localities, and it is only those who have suffered severely who are really fully sensible of the evil. The settlers, as a body, when there are few rabbits, are totally indifferent on the subject, and laugh at the idea of their runs being invaded.

"It is my belief they are fatally mistaken, and that, ere many years have passed, where rabbits are now scarcely seen they will become as numerous, and, of course, as destructive, as ever they have been found to be by some of the unfortunate victims in Oatlands, Ross, Campbell Town, Green Ponds, Bothwell, and Hamilton.

"In 1874 rabbit skins to the number of 474,468, valued at £3,725, were exported, principally from Hobart Town."

From another reliable authority well acquainted with New Zealand we learn that in Tasmania rabbits were tolerably well kept down where precautions were taken -- that is in proclaimed rabbit districts -- but he confesses he looks with some apprehension as to the future of the large hilly tracts of New Zealand pastoral country, where the soil is loose and rocky.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

From a communication received from the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales it appears that the colony is not troubled with rabbits.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

The Chief Secretary in South Australia transmits a copy of "The Rabbit Destruction Act, 1875," under which several districts have voluntarily brought themselves, and it is anticipated that the operation of the measure will be beneficial." This Act is appended to the report. Its main features generally follow the Tasmanian Statute, the definition of a landholder being more restricted, and leased Crown lands being rated as other lands. The proclamation into a rabbit district differs from the Tasmanian Statute, no counter petition availing in the South Australian Act.

SUGGESTIONS MADE TO COMMISSIONERS.

We have before stated that we lost no opportunity in our travels of ascertaining the feelings and views of those concerned in the object of our enquiries, and that, though our commission does not authorise us to make any special recommendation, yet we should not be fulfilling the duties we have undertaken did we not submit the result of our conversations to your Honor.

CROWN SHOULD SHARE EXPENSE.

We have been particularly struck with one circumstance, and we commend the consideration of it to your Honor. The Crown tenants complain that, as the introduction of the rabbit was not an act of theirs, they should not be left unaided in its extermination. They urge that the Crown has a present as well as a continuing interest in the well-being of the pastoral country. That, were they to cease their exertions and close their purses, the assessment paid in the northern part of Otago would decrease materially, while in both parts the runs would, on completion of the leases, be a comparatively worthless, or certainly, a much depreciated possession, as would be shown when submitted for new or renewed leases. They further urge that while the depasturing capacity is materially affected they are called upon with diminished means to clear their runs of a nuisance at a time when their leases are about to expire. As a partial recompense for these exertions, and as a stimulus to rid the country of the pest, some point to a five years’ extension of their leases, others to an annual subsidy, to repayment of the duty on dogs and powder, and others, again, to the introduction of a law which shall compel the owners or occupiers and lessees of all lands in infested districts to submit to a tax on the annual value of their property, to be raised and expended by local trustees or by an inspector, as in the case of the existing Scab Act -- under efficient Crown supervision. Stress has been laid on the necessity that this legislation, to be effective, should be compulsory not only on all in a proclaimed infested district, but on all portions of the country where rabbits are known to exist in greater or lesser numbers.

SUBDIVISION INTO SMALLER RUNS.

Some of those with whom we have conversed have indicated as the only effectual method of extirpation -- when the leases run out -- is to subdivide the runs into smaller blocks, and thus people the country. To this it has been answered that the nature of the greater part of the unsold pastoral lands in Southland is not, as a general rule, adapted for such subdivision; that nearly the whole of the land in the plains and uplands commanding the hill country is already sold, and that the higher lands are only of value to those who possess the base. It has again been urged that if the present occupant of the pastoral country, with his accumulated means, employing a large number of men, cannot, unaided, surmount the difficulty, there would be but little hope for ten times the number of occupants of lesser means on smaller areas to cope with it; considering that, though the rental per acre might be the same, the latter would have extensively to fence their subdivision to support themselves and families on land ill-adapted for cropping, and to carry on continued warfare against the rabbits occupying the country.

INTRODUCTION OF NATURAL ENEMIES.

The expediency of introducing a certain class of the natural enemies of the rabbit has been urged on our attention, such as ferrets, stoats, and weasels -- but not such as would injure lambs. The use of poisoned grain in winter has been practised, but is strongly objected to as having a tendency not only to poison dogs, and perhaps sheep and horses, but hawks and such useful auxiliaries.