RABBIT PEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 80, 4 March 1929, Page 2

RABBIT PEST.

METHOD OF CONTROL. POSITION AT WOODVILLE. AN AMENDMENT SOUGHT. The removal of an anomalous state of affairs in the measures adopted for dealing with rabbits in tho Woodvillo district was sought by the Woodville Rabbit Trust Association on Saturday afternoon, when a deputation comprising Messrs W. A. Lyon, J. M. Hutchinson, J. M. Graham and A. J. Arlidgo, approached tho Minister of Public Works (Hon. E. A. Ransom) with tho view to securing an amendment of the Act which governs the present position. It was pointed out by Mr Lyon that the Rabbit Trust Association was a corporate body formed for the eradication of the rabbit pest, and was entirely a voluntary but owing to the refusal of certain land owners to participate, by declining to contribute to tho costs involved, the association was not functioning as well as it could—the payments not being compulsory, and there was no uniformity of action. The position was that the Hawke’s Bay Rabbit Board was empowered to make a levy over the same area, according to the amount of stock earned, and including a minimum charge of 10s. It was asserted that tho board’s officer merely made inspections, hut took no active steps to keep out the pest. Subscribers to the association had two assessments to meet and it was apparently not realised by others that a great menace existed from the direction of Pohangina, Wairarapa and the back country so far as the introduction of the rabbit post was concerned. The suggestion advanced was that an amendment be made to the Rabbit Nuisance Act to allow the Woodville Rabbit Trust Association to retain 50 per cent, of tho foes collected in its area by the Hawke’s Bay Rabbit Board, and to make the rating compulsory. Alternatively it was proposed that control .be transferred to the county council and that an experienced rabbiter be employed, the Hawke’s Bay Board to contribute 50 per cent, of the funds it collected. The need for legislative authority to enforce payment in order to afford relief to the district was stressed by the speaker. Tho association urged the importance of keeping the Woodville area free of the pest, which, if it became established, would reduce production, and cost much money to eradicate. Although the matter was not one directly for Mr Ransom’s attention, the deputation requested that he present to the Minister of Agriculture for cosnderation the points raised, and the suggestions advanced for meeting the case, which was not an isolated instance. The double levy as at present was too great an imposition. The Minister replied that ho would be pleased to convey to the Minister of Agriculture the purport of the speaker’s remarks, and he thought that the farmers not contributing ought to be thankful that there were no rabbits there yet. It was useless to send an inspector without providing for active means of eradication.

The deputation pointed out that that was the essential feature of their complaint. Tho Minister observed that every settler in the district should be ready to check the menace which threatened.