Burning-Off Restriction Plan Concerns Rabbit Board Council

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28284, 23 May 1957, Page 14

Burning-Off Restriction Plan Concerns Rabbit Board Council

Requests from the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board for burning-off work in the Waiau river bed to stop, would seriously affect the eradication of rabbits in this area and, if the policy was carried further, would obstruct the entire eradication scheme adopted by North Canterbury rabbit boards, Mr A. H. Page, the Parnassus Rabbit Board’s delegate to the annual meeting of the North Canterbury Rabbit Boards’ Council, said yesterday. His board had been asked to stop burning-off work carried out in a 3000 acre river bed block. The matter should be discussed openly because of the serious threat it held to the rabbit eradication programme in North Canterbury, he said. He agreed with other members that the requests would probably not stop at Waiau. Regrowth had taken place in some river areas and this had to be destroyed to eliminate rabbit cover. “This will have to be thrashed out with the Nassella Tussock Board. It will mean that rabbits will become as big a pest as they have been in the past if burningoff is not permitted,” said Mr R. A. Chaffey (Waiau). The council was told that a special meeting had been called for June 13, between the Nassella Tussock Board and other interested parties, to discuss the problems arising out of the burning-off restriction. A remit from the Parnassus board suggesting a conference between the Nassella Tussock Board and the council in an effort to reach agreement on the direction, was adopted with a proviso that the meeting at Waikari, on June 13, be attended by the chairman (Mr B. A. Nicholls).

The meeting adopted a remit: “That the option be given to rabbit boards to conduct future elections on the present basis or on a riding system similar to that used for county councils.” Because of increased land values, members supported a remit calling for a change in the voting system for rabbit boards It was suggested that the system be changed from a rating system to one based on acreage. It was generally agreed that anomalies existed in both systems. Refresher Course Many runholders were still considering the rabbit problem from views which were only applicable 10 years ago. The constant increase in aerial work for checking the problem meant that a refresher course could be held to familiarise present rabbit board foremen with modern methods of destruction, said Mr T. H. Stone, supporting a remit from the Upper Rakaia Rabbit Board. Mr R. A. Chaffey (Waiau), asked that any such course be an avenue also for training foremen in staff management. Many could kill rabbits, he said, but most could not handle men. The remit was adopted. Officers Elected Officers elected were: president, Mr B. A. Nicholls (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs J. A. G. Fulton and R. A. Chaffey: auditor,

Mr R. A. Free; 5.1.R.8.A. representative, Mr B. A. Nicholls; representative on Conciliation Council, Mr P. J. Byrne.