RABBIT NUISANCE AND FORMATION OF RABBIT BOARDS.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 63, 18 August 1919, Page 3

RABBIT NUISANCE AND FORMATION OF RABBIT BOARDS.

(Froni'N.Z. Journal of Agriculture.) The following useful notes are extracted from matter prepared by ,the well-known settler, Mr Joseph Barugh, of Hamilton, chairman of directors of the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering "Company, and recently issued, together with other related matter, by that concern. Mr Barugh states : The Babbit Nuisance Act, 1908, did not allow the board to strike a high enough rate to cope with the pest, and contained other faults, many of which have been altered by amendments during the past session. There are only four boards in New Zealand, which shows how unsuitable the Act was, or it would have been taken more advantage of. The amendments provided that the Governor-General, by Order-in-Council, on petition from a majority of the ratepayers over an area of not less than 2000 acres, providing that it contains not less than ten ratepayers, may constitute a Rabbit Board district. The Board has power to strike a rate up to Id in the £ on the rateable value, but in no, case must the rate exceed a sum equal to Is per acre. The Government will pay to the boards a subsidy of £1 for £1 on the rate struck up to 3-16 d in the pound, provided that the total amount of subsidy paid during each year shall not exceod £SOOO. Suppose a Babbit Board district is valued on an average at £l6 per acre, and the board struck a.rate of 3-16 d in the pound, the tax would return 3d per acre, and with the Government subsidy would make a total revenue equal to (3d per acre. If that estimate was considered too little the Board might strike a higher rate, but the Government i would not give any more than the 3-16 d in the pound subsidy. The Board Las power to borrow mo-' ney from the Government under the Local Bodies' Loans' Act for the purpose of constructing rabbit-proof wire-net-ting fences. Wire-netting should not be necessary where natural boundaries such as rivers are obtainable, or where one rabbit board is bounded by another rabbit board. STARTING A BOARD.

Procure the Eabbit Nuisance Act of 1008, No. 161, and its Amendment of 1918. • The Act provides for the establishment of three classes of boards: — (1) A rabbit board elected by stockowners (2) a rabbit board elected by ratepayers ; (3) a rabbit-proof- fencing board elected by ratepayers. The recent amendment to. the Act applies chiefly to the rabbit board elected by ratepayers and makes it the board most suitable to small (farmers. If any farmers think that their district woidd be better under a board, they should make their views known — say, through the local branch of the Farmers' Union, or by calling special meetings within the proposed board dis i trict. A committee should be formed to define boundaries which should be shown on a plan. A large district is better than a small one, especially -where boundaries such as rivers can be taken advantage of. Having decided on the boundaries, a temporary clerk should be engaged—a man experienced in local body work for preference—to prepare the necessary petition and secure the signatures of a ■majority of the ratepayers within, the proposed district. After the proposal is carried the approval of the GovernorGeneral in Council 'must be obtained before the members of the board can bo elected by the ratepayers. All that' is necessary is a simple form of petition, to the Governor-General setting out the tacts and praying for the constitution of the district. The petition should be sent through the Minister of Agriculture. A board shall consist of not, less than six nor more than eight members. One member, who will be appointed by the Government, shall be the Inspector of Stock in charge of the district. This board carrios out all necessary work, such as striking rates, borrowing money for wire-netting purposes, deciding on tho method of destroying rabbits, and the employment of men to carry out the work. Do not wait till your district becomes a rabbit warren before starting a board.

It is cheaper and easier to keep a district clear than to eradicate rabbits af-. tor your country is full of holes. FOKiM OF PETITION. To His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral of the Dominion of Now Zealand. This humble petition of the undersigned ratepayers of the lauds hereinafter described showcth : 1. That the lands hereinafter described arc not less than 2000 acres in area, and: that there .are not less than ten ratepayers within the said area. 2. That your petitioners form a majority of tho ratepayers within the said area. 3. That the said area comprises all that parcel of land bounded, etc. [Here follows description of boundaries which should be prepared by a solicitor], the same being delineated on tho plan attached hereto. 4. That your petitioners are desirous tha.t within the said area a board be constituted and declared within the meaning of Part 111. of the Eabbit Nuisance Act, 1908, and its amendments. Wherefore you petitioners humbly pray that your Excellency will be pleased to constitute and declare a board within the meaning of tho above Acts. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.