Te Akau North Rabbit Board.

Franklin Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 107, 12 September 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

Te Akau North Rabbit Board.

MONTHLY MEETING

£9OO 9N SUBSIDY RECEIVED

FEW RABBITS ABOUT

The monthly meeting of Te Akau North Rabbit Board was held at Tuakau last week. There were present: Messrs E. H. Nolan (chairman), K. L. Caldwell, G. Cole-Baker, E. Baker, J. G. Reeves, G. F. Souness (inspector), and T. B. Insoll (clerk). Applications for Sub-Inspector The chief inspector, Mr G. F. Souness, stated that f>7 applications had been received for the position of subinspector to the board. Of these he had selected the 10 most promising. It was decided to leave the final selection to the next meeting of the board. It was resolved not to go further with the matter of building new homes for the members of t the board’s staff. Messrs 11. W. Moore and 11. W. Moffatt, former inspectors employed by the board, wrote requesting testimonials. It was decided to accede to the requests.

Bonus Extended The board decided to extend the bonus of 6d a pelt on rabbits caught in the board’s territory until the end of October. The chairman reported that the Government £ for £ subsidy on rates collected by the board had been received. He drew attention to the fact that the subsidy was paid only on rates collected "by June JO. About 98 percent of the rates had been collected by this time, so the hoard drew practically the full amount due on the total rate." “Delinquent ratepayers apparently do not realise that they are only defeating their own ends by getting behindhand with their commitments,” he stated. The subsidy received was somewhere in the vicinity of £9OO.

Inspector’s Report The chief inspector presented the following report:— “During the past month l have inspected many properties in different parts of the hoard’s district to find that the usual increase in young rabbits at this season of the year is being well checked. This satisfactory position has been largely brought about by ratepayers looking to breeding burrows on the high lands, while the heavy rains have destroyed many breeding nests on the heavy tlat land. This, together with the war on the pest by those who are collecting rabbit scalps in order to get the board’s bonus of sixpence, leaves (lie district in a very satisfactory state at present. As I lie final date for collecting scalps was fixed by the board for September :10, it will not lie possible to get the exact amount of ttie cost before the October meeting. However, the present indications arc very much below 1 lie amount expected.

“Inspector Graham reports that he has been engaged in a general inspection of properties in his area. The ’ condition of properties over most of the area is fairly good, with regard to ! Hie rabbit pest and an improvement is ‘ shown where poisoning operations have been carried out. Owing lo the weather and also some owners being ; unable to procure the labour necessary to carry out the work. I have ' been disappointed at the improvement shown.”