The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-08-20
BELGIAN &.
I4
HARES
PLENTY
--
Many Of Them Be.
ing Bred Here
Now.
from Saturdays daily.)

N L
pairs of Belgian hares and rab-
~ bits and three or four dozen
young offspring are Of a certainty on
these Islands, for that number were
seen yesterday by an Advertiser report
err at regularly established and thriv-
ing rabbitry running in full blast and
in defiance Of the law, in Mokauea val
ley and within three miles Of the city.
Not only is this fact but indications
point to the existence Of a number of
other rabbitries, and many cases were
discovered yesterday Of the pests being
reared as pets, the prolific product of
young being distributed freely among
friends and neighbors of the owners;
this is the state of affairs in the Por-
tuguese element particularly.
The rabbitry in question belongs to
a man named Wagner, an importer of
stock, who has an establishment at
Iwilei, near the Metropolitan Meat
Company's slaughter house, and who
supplies that company with pork and
other meats.
MIR. Wagner has thriving stock farm
UP Mokauea valley, the same being con-
Quoted in capable manner by his ener-
getic Hawaiian wife and turkeys, gum
ca fowls and other poultry are raised
at the place for the supplying of the
establishment down town.
Information came to the Advertiser
yesterday to the effect that rabbits were
being reared also on this ranch, and
representative was Immediately sent
out to investigate the truth of the mat
ter. Deputy Sheriff Chillingworth was
no
despatched with the reporter to the
Wagner ranch. Upon inquiry of Mrs.
Wagner the two we're conducted at
once to the rabbitry. which was ex-
hibted with pride, the woman doubt
lessly being in ignorance of the illegal
ity of maintaining and rearing rabbits.
Within a well-arranged rabbit house"
dozens of the animals of all sizes frisk-
ed about, nibbling at the bits Of vege-
tables and green leaves which were
strewn on the floor.
A large female Belgian hare was con-
spicuous among a number Of grown-up
white rabbits, and a mass of little rab-
bits of both breeds and cross breed
tumbled over each other and ran in and
out of the little doorways provided for
them.
1t was impossible to count the ami
mails and the woman was asked how
many there were.
~ no can count" said she, "he grow
too quick | no know how many. l
think twenty big one-three, four dozen
little one. He come so many little one
all time; ] no know how many. New
little one come all time. He breed ev-
cry two mont and every time come
maybe twelve, thirteen little one. No
can keep count"
For what purpose do you raise
them?" the woman was asked.
RAISE em for SELL" she replied;
"bme'by do big business; sell hotel.
We no sell much rabbit for two, three
month. Long time ago my husband
sell rabbit Hawaiian Hotel, British
Club, Lycurgus place, too. He take
'em down town, sell EN-
When asked where the original rab-
bits We're procured Mrs. Wagner said
that the boy who go to the Coast to
bring down the stock for her husband
brought them down from the Mainland
A with the pigs, fancy chickens, etc.
with which his ranch is stocked. She
was asked If her husband had any trou-
BILE in getting the rabbits ashore
on the arrival of the sailing vessel in
which they were brought, and she re-
piled that she did not know; if he had
had any trouble with the inspectors she
had not heard of 1t. She also stated
that she intended selling the animals
for pets to any one who cared to pur-
chase them.
Deputy Sheriff Chillingwor will con,
suit with High Sheriff Brown this
morning and prompt action will be tax.
en- in the matter OF this wholesale
breeding Of the pests which the law has
been at so much pains to exclude from
this Island. The words of the womar
quoted above are eloquent of the phe
nomenal breeding of the animals, and
their continual nibbling all the ii leaves
grasses and vegetables provided fol
them bespeak their voracious appetites
for all green things. The disastrous re.
suit, should a pair of these prolific pests
escape to the cane fields, can easily he
imagined.
That there are many Belgian hares
and other destructive species of rabbit
being kept in Honolulu as pets Is ar
indisputable fact. The pair of Belgian
hares spoken of in yesterdays Adver'
tiser as having been seen in a stree
car Gagged and In possession Of a pas
senger, nave not yet been located, Ou
the identity of the man who carried
them has been discovered, and he vii
be sought out this morning by the au
thorities.
In tracing down the rumor Of the in
cident referred to 1t was learned yes
terday that Inspector Albert Clark hat
stated that he had seen the man carry
ing the animals on the car. He was in
terviewed in regard to the matter ant
admitted that he had made the state
ment
AT first thought it was a Belgian
hare" said he. land I am not certain
that II was not. I asked the man IL
was, and he said 1t vas OILY a pc
= rabbit that he was taking to friend
let him go. as he said 1t was not
Belgian hare, and thought wOui'
report the matter to the board Of In
spectors later"