Rabbit Killers
In 1868 rabbits were sighted in Central Otago and Wānaka! Rabbit shooting on the Lake Wānaka islands was being advertised as a tourist activity. By 1879 rabbits had become a major pest in the Upper Clutha. They ate the grass meant for the sheep cattle and horses. The end result was that on top of depressed prices for wool and meat, some farmers were driven off the land.
Some farm labourers had secondary employment as rabbiters. But the rabbits did not go away and by the time of the Great Depression that started in 1929, rabbiters could make a reasonable income.
The photo shows that you didn’t need a horse to get around – a calm, well-trained cow could suffice.
We have a recorded interview with Charles Norman recorded about 1980 wherein he describes a scam perpetrated by himself and a brother. Professionals (lawyers, accountants etc) were desperate for income and saw the good income rabbiters were making. They came to the Norman brothers for instruction from afar as Dunedin to be trained as to the use of the Norman’s “magic” elixir that supposedly (but didn’t) poisoned rabbits – only 10/- a small bottle!