Hororata Farmers Hear Rabbit Board Proposals

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28987, 31 August 1959, Page 17

Hororata Farmers Hear Rabbit Board Proposals

Even if farmers in the proposed plains area rabbit board region voted against the formation of a board the Rabbit Destruction Council was determined to see its objective of having all rabbit infested areas controlled by boards achieved, the chairman (Mr G. B. Baker) told about 50 farmers at Hororata on Friday evening. ‘‘We’re going to complete the coverage of the remaining acreage,” he said. “What will happen if the proposal is not favoured will be a matter for the Rabbit Destruction Council to consider. I won’t say any more about it.” The general feeling of the meeting, expressed during the questioning of members of the council and officials of other rabbit boards, was not in favour of a board being formed. Several speakers suggested that a board was inevitable although not wanted by the ratepayers. Mr Baker said, in answer to a question, that if ratepayers voted against having a board of their own there was power for the Minister, on the recommendation of the council to add the area to an adjoining rabbit board. None of the additions recommended to the Minister had been rejected by the Minister. An addition to a - board would only be made with that board’s approval, he said. To another question he said that the ratepayers in the aret would have no further say, bu’ would have representation on th< board to which they were added. "It most certainly would b< better for the plains are to havi its own board and run its owi affairs,” said Mr A. Forrester, i member of the council.

“It’s all very well saying that no additional area has ever been forced on a board, but how many boards have been forced on areas?" asked one farmer. “Mr Holyoake. when he was Minister, must have done it 40 times and Mr Skinner has had at least 36 boards formed on areas." replied Mr Baker. In answer to questions regarding opossum control and the attitude of rabbit board employees who were working themselves out of a job, Mr Baker said that the latter ’ was a factor which had influenced the council when asked by the , Department of Agriculture to look , at the opossum control proposit tion. , “We think that opossum control ] work will be done by rabbit 1 boards after the bounty is discon- ; tinued but on a different basis, a very different basis from the prea sent one,” he said. “There are j two boards already considered. r "We can’t say what the Governe ment will do, though. It’s going 9 to cost the State £400.000 a year o for a decade. The cost to the e rabbit boards will be at the most o £60,000. The Government may y pay a three to one subsidy with a State forests, native lands etcetera h at full cost," he said. Mr Baker said that no good d men had even been paid off by a rabbit boards. Boards with very it low infestations were guaranteeing ie their men that they would not be paid off unless they had been >e found Jobs with other boards or re other suitable employment. The n opossum proposal was looked at in a the view of providing continuity of labour.