Abstract
A BILL to protect agriculture from the ravages of rabbits was introduced in the House of Lords by Lord Sempill on July 25. It follows the lines of the report issued by the Mersey Committee on this subject, and provides powers for enabling the county councils to take action against the owner or occupier of rabbit-infested land who fails to take precautions to prevent damage to neighbouring land. It also provides for action for damages on the part of the aggrieved party. To meet the difficulties of those who are unable to find the labour and equipment necessary for keeping down rabbits, the Bill enables county councils to provide staff and equipment for this purpose. Gin traps, however, are not to be used by the staff so provided. Some doubt has been expressed as to whether the destruction of rabbits by cyanide fumigation, which may now be regarded as the standard method of rabbit-control, is strictly legal, and a clause of the Bill puts the use of this method for rodents beyond doubt. The Bill also gives effect to the Mersey Committee's recommendation that "gin traps should in no circumstances be set in the open".
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Depredations of Property by Rabbits. Nature 142, 201–202 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/142201d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/142201d0