RABBIT BOARD CONTROL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28992, 5 September 1959, Page 7

RABBIT BOARD CONTROL

Extension Move Criticised

Criticism of the methods he said were being used in an attempt to create three new 1 rabbit board areas bteween the Ashley and Rakaia rivers was expressed by Mr E. J. Stalker at a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchnjent Board yesterday. The areas concerned were in the board’s area, he said. Mr Stalker said ratepayers were concerned about the proposal and especially about the methods. They were receiving a questionnaire and if this was not returned it would be treated as if the ratepayer was in favour of the scheme. That was most undemocratic. In his opinion the methods were communistic. The board should set out its position clearly and send a letter to the Minister of Agriculture. He moved the following motion: “We inform the Minister of Agriculture that this board favours the extension of rabbit board control to rabbit-infested areas only, and that the board considers it unjust that land which is too wet or too closely settled to be rabbit infested and which is already heavily rated for protection against water should also be rated to protect large areas of dry land from rabbits.”

This motion was seconded by Mr C. Morgan Williams, who said that the rural community was boiling over with indignation over the proposal that voting papers not returned .would be regarded as being in favour of the scheme. Amendments Proposed

Mr T. W. Preston moved as an amendment that all the words after “only” in Mr Stalker’s motion be deleted and the motion be that “the board informs the Minister of Agriculture that it favours the extension of rabbit boards control to rabbitinfested areas only.”

“We as a board should not forget the marvellous work done by Mr Baker and the Rabbit Destruction Council,” said Mr Preston. If any rabbits at all were left they would spread and in time the high country would be re-infested. It would be a happy day when they saw the last rabbit in this country. Mr A. T. Bell said it would be ridiculous to include land round Lake Ellesmere, for instance, in a rabbit board area. Rabbits would not breed in such wet areas. Mr D. R. Wilkie seconded Mr Preston’s amendment, and it was carried.