MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 308, 26 November 1932, Page 5

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD

(From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Nov. 25.

f The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board was presided over by Trustee B. G. Gower (chairman). Also present were Trustees J. F. McKelvic, F. <•. Raikes, T. A. Grammar, the secretary and inspector.

Accounts amounting to £BO 5s were passed for payment. Cotters in connection with rabbit and ragwort control received by the Manawatu County Council from the Matamata County Council were forwarded to the board for consideration and support. It was ascertained that the board had purchased only £lO worth of pollard poison since itis inception and the trustees considered that under the circumstances the matters were of little importance and the letters were received.

The inspector reportecUas follows: “During the past month I have been engaged in the general inspection of properties in the board area both in regard to rabbit destruction and noxious weeds. With one exception, the extra work requested on a number of properties during tho previous month has been carried out. Tho weather during the month has been of a varied cliuractor, but in the latter part has become fairly dry. Those farmers. who did not. take advantage of the previous good conditions obtaining for fumigation now have much harder work in carrying this method out. The land is not only much drier, hut grass has made a prolific growth, •with the result, that burrows are much harder to find, and outside rabbits are responsible for the fresh opening of newly fumigated burrows. Great care should therefore be taken during fumigating now to see that no ‘grassy’ burrows are missed. If owners would take the advice given them earlier in the season they would not have to go to all the extra expense at the present, time in carrying out the necessary destruction of rabbits on their properties. Tina is the busiest time of the year for landowners, but nevertheless the necessary attention must be paid in keeping down breeding and the ultimate increase of rabbits. The trapper working under the No. 11 unemployment scheme is etill doing good work, although rabbits are not trapping well —a fact which is generally the case at this time of the year, but, if we can go by other seasons, from Ghristinas time cn rabbits should bo better. Tire scheme, however, is doing a great deal towards keeping down the natural increase of the pe*t in the off-poisoning season on land where ‘cover’ exists. During the month I poisoned a small island in the Rangitikei River bed area with phosphorised pollard and on the greater portion of the island there wafi a good ‘take’ which should resist this area in the meantime. I have endeavoured to get as much work started as possible in regard to noxious weeds before seeding takes place and a fair, area of weeds, more especially lupin, is being cleared on a number of properties, and wherever ragwort has been found owners have been duly notified to clear their properties. The sprayer has now' come to hand and I hope to make a start on one experimental area next week. Joint inspections of two properties w’ero made during the month, being carried out by Inspector Palmer and myself. During the coming month I shall be engaged in general inspection work of rabbit destruction and the clearing of noxious weeds.” —Adopted