MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 5089, 15 May 1939, Page 3

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board was held in the Board’s office on Thursday afternoon last, and was presided over by Trustee B. G. Gower. Also present were Trustees W. E. Barber, M. C. Toogood and the secretary (Mr R. Rangiheuea). The Inspector (Mr D. R. Barron) was also in attendance. Apologies for absence were received from Trustees H. A. Bayley, R. D. McKelvie and R. Craig. Correspondence was read and received as follows: — From the Government Statistician, enclosing annual statistical return for the last financial year.

From the Department of Agriculture re payment of subsidy on rates levied and collected for the year ended 31st March, 1939.

From the Department of Health, enclosing application for renewal of wholesaler’s poison license.

From the N.Z. Rabbit Boards’ Industrial "Union'of Employers, enclosing proxy form. Accounts amounting to £47 5s 2d were passed for payment.

It was decided to appoint Trustee Gower to represent the Board at any meeting to be called by the N.Z. Rabbit Boards’ Industrial Union of Employers. The Inspector’s report was read and received as follows: —

“During the past month I have been engaged in the general inspection of properties in the Board area, following up the circulars re fumigation and poisoning sent out at the beginning of the month. Good rains have been experienced since last meeting, and the land is now in good order for carrying out fumigation. On a number of areas inspected it. was found that, no fumigation of burrows had been carried out in response to the request in the circular and owners of such properties have been requested to have this work put in hand immediately. The same condition of affairs has been found in regard to poisoning, and similar action has been taken, in this direction. It is most important that the requests for fumigation and poisoning contained in the Board circular sent -out on complied with as soon as possible, as this is the time of the year when the most important work can be ( carried out. Unless owners of properties fall into line and work simultaneously in the destruction of rabbits it is impossible to keep them under contol. Strict supervision will be kept and the provisions of the Act will be carried out in the ease of defaulters. A fair amount of clearing of weeds has been put in hand during the month, and spraying has been carried out on several properties, and results are highly gratifying. Further spraying will be done on other aeas in the near future. Arrangements are not so far completed for the poisoning on the Forestry Reserve at Tangimoana as the subsidy for this work has hot yet been granted.” ANNUAL MEETING. The fifteenth annual meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board was held in the Board’s office on Thursday last and was presided over b> Trustee B. G. Gower (Chairman). Also present were Trustees W. E. Barber, M. €. Toogood and the secretary (Mr R. Rangiheuea). The inspector (Mr D. R. Barron) was also in attendance. Apologies for absence were received from, Trustees H. A. Bayley, R. D. McKelvie and R. Craig. The chairman’s annual report was read and received as follows: “I have the honour to submit for your approval my fifteenth annual report, and in doing so, feel that you will agree with me that the result of operations during the past season has been successful in keeping down the rabbit pest in the Manawatu Rabbit Board’s district. The past summer has been one of the driest experienced in the history of the Board. Good rains fell in the early part, but these were followed up, by weeks of windy weather, and as a consequence the land was very parched right up to the end of March. Owing to the length of dry feed in the area a .phosphorised pollard poisoning was not made general this yeai\ Strychnine carrot poisonings were carried out on all ‘cover’ country during the winter, and on many areas two of these poisonings were carried out with very beneficial results. During • the latter part of the season breeding has not taken place to the extent one would have expected in such a dry season, and I would say that the Board’s area is in good order for this time of the year better than for some time past. Fumigation has been general throughout the district during the season just ended, and it is not costing farmers very much from a finance point, of view to keep their properties in good order. There are still a certain number of ‘slackers’ as far as t his work is concerned, who think that because they have only a few rabbits, that there is no need 'for rabbit destruction work, but it is at such periods that strict supervision should be carried out in order to keep the breeding down to the irreducible minimum. The majority of farmers in the area recognise the necessity for united effort in carrying out the work of destruction, but there is still a number who do not do anything until inspections are made of their properties, and pressure brought to bear. This condition of things is generally found when rabbits are

scarce, but I would point out that this moment is the time when every ounce of energy should be put into the work of rabbit destruction, and in this way expense and time can be saved. There have been no prosecutions for failing to destroy rabbits during the year, but extreme pressure has been brought to bear in a number, of eases, before the necessary work has been carried out. The Boai’d’s policy is not one of persecutions, but of co-operation, but it must take up a firm attitude in seeing that all owners of properties do their respective share in keeping down the pest. It will not hesitate to take any drastic steps necessary for this purpose. In the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act, the Board has done its fair share in assisting the Department to cope with the control of ragwort in the area. This year there has not been any necessity to prosecute farmers for failing to clear ragwort, and the instruction and publicity given in this connection have been the means of placing a definite check in the spread of this weed. A fair amount of clearing of gorse, lupin and blackberry has taken place during the past season, and several areas formerly covered with them have been brought into cultivation. Good work has been carried out throughout the Board’s area in the clearing of noxious weeds from road-lines, thus eliminating a certain amount of ‘cover’ as far as rabbits are concerned. Experiments carried out some fifteen months ago with a spray have proved successful, and spraying with (his specific is now being carried out on a number of properties. Clearing of weeds by this method is much cheaper and more efficient than clearing by hand. The rate levied during the past year was the same as that in the former year, and I am pleased to state that the percentage of rates collected over those levied up to the end of March is 93 per cent., as against 87.9 per cent, for the previous year, an increase of 5.5 per cent. This, I might say, is the highest percentage of rates collected by the Board. The thanks of the Board are due to its Inspector (Mr D. R. Barron), and the secretary (Mr R. Rangiheuea), who have, from year to year, conscientiously administered the policy of the Board in a. satisfactory manner. In conclusion I desire to thank the Board members for the loyal support accorded me during the year, and for . the keen interest taken in the work, and T trust that the current year will be one of satisfaction to the Board and to settlers generally.” It was decided to adopt the statement of accounts for the year ended 31/3/1939, subject to audit. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: Chairman, Trustee B. G. Gower: treasurer, Trustee W. E. Barber. It was decided to fix the rate for the current year at a sum equal to lid per acre per annum.