RABBIT BOARD

Lake County Press, Issue 2790, 19 June 1919, Page 4

RABBIT BOARD

SUGGESTED FOR LAKE COUNTS

When, the business of the Lake County Council was concluded on Wednesday Mr W. Wilson, District Fields Inspector,, waited upon that body for the purpose of introducing the question of the formation of a Babbit Board;, or Boards, in Lake County. Mr Wilson prefaced his- remarks hy stating that during Show. Week in Dunedin a conference of Stock and Fields Inspectors was held at which Mir W. Snowball (MLR.C.V.S.)., Superintendent of the. ' Agricultural Department for Otago, urged upon the Inspectors to fat Rabbit Boards formed in their istricts. It was felt that the rabbit pest would be coped with much more effectively if advantage were taken of the provisions of the new amendment of the Rabbit Nuisance Act 1908, which read as follows: PART Hl> RABBIT NUISANCE ACT. 1. Under the Amendment Act of 1918, Boards, consisting of not less than two thousand acres may be created on petition from a majority; of the ratepayers repreaejnting! such; area. < 2. The Board may levy a yearly; rate not to exceed one penny in the pound on the rateable value of all rateable property; within Euchl area, but the total amount payable by any one owner shall not exceed one shilling per acre on hie hold* ing. A subsidy from the Consolidated Fund up to three sixteenths 61 a penny in thepoumd is provided by the Government, it being conditional that this does not exceed £SOOO in any one year. 3. The Board lias full power to, take all necessary steps to destroy rabbits within the area under its control. 4. The Board has power to borrow up to £3OOO under The Local' Bodiesi Loan Act, for the; purpose; of wire netting' such area. It would be noted said; Mr Wilsoni, that whereas "it was to include 200,000 'acres under such Board 2000 acres was now sufficient to form a Rabbit Board. Subsection 7 of section 82 of the principal Act had also been amended so that the Government subsidy was one penny in the £ instead of three sixteenths tof a benny. The ohiof advantages, as. pointed out by Mr Wilson, would be (1) . v that they would get concerted action in combating the nuisance; (2) that they 'would receive a Government sub- ' sidy. As the position was at present, the landowner or occupier had to '' bear the whole of the expeuae of' clearing his property himself. Mr Sjowball was very keen regarding trio formation of those Boards, so much so that he ami Mr Wills; Chief District Inspector, were prepared to attend any meeting that might be called to discuss the formation of a Rabbit Board and explain the working of these Boards The new Act, as they all knew, was pretty .strict, but with the establishment of a Board much of the dilliculty could bo got over. The local Fields Inspector became, a member of the Board, ex oilieio. If ho found a property rab-. Ut-iniastsd hg iniofufid j,u S jfog^

whose business it will be to proceed with the cloarins of such property thus taking the undertaking out of Uie farmer's hands. Part of the cost of destruction was paid for by the Government through its subsidy. A Babbit Board had been formed at I aimers ton, and others were, contemn ated at Balclutha and Middlemarch. Councillors were considerably interested in what Mr Wilson had to sav but were of opinion that it wowd be outside of their province to take any action in the matter, it was more, within the scope of the A. and P. Society. ' Ultimatel" it was suggested that w. W S Keid confer with the president of'the Lake County A. and P. Society relative to calling a publacmeeting of farmers.