RABBITS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXII, Issue 1710, 13 December 1920, Page 5

RABBITS.

INCREASING IX POUANGrNA COUNTY. When the question of fixing the doff tax came up at the Pohangina County Council meeting on Saturday, it was stated that the dog tax for the last year was 2/6 for sheep and cattle dogs and 5/- for other dogs.—Cr. A. Brooking thought fox terriers should be exempt from the additional 2/6 as they were most useful for catching rabbits, the numbers of which were increasing in the County.—Cr. H. Osborne mentioned that rabbits were becoming very numerous at Apfti •where the pest had prot past the stage where it could be dealt with by dogs. It would now be necessary for the settlers or the Government to take some action to have the rabbits eradicated. In Apiti the rabbits had almost beaten the sheep. At a later stage in the meeting Cr. Osborne again brought the matter up and asked whether there was any way of dealing with the pest?—Cr. Arbon said that a meeting of those interested in the rabbit question could be called and they could form themselves into a Rabbit Board, who would have the Act to guide them in what they decided to do. —The chairman (Cr. H. W. Smart), said he had had considerable experience with rabbits in South. Wairarapa 20 years ago, when the rabbit question was in the hands of the Stock Department. There was now provision under the Act for a Board to be formed, if the settlers thought it necessary. There was no question that some action should be/ taken He mentioned that a pair of rabbits under good conditions could stock about 32 acres, and five rabbitsate as much as one sheep. He suggested that a letter should be written to the Stock Department <ii-a.wiris attention to the complaints made at the meeting, of the increasing, numbers of rabbits, and asking that some action should be taken. Tn reply to a question the chairman. said that his experience of poisoning. was that it was not very successful. The rabbits disappeared for a timebut two or three months afterwards they were as thick as ever. —Cr. Osborne observed that rabbit poison had killed sheep in some places.—The chairman said there was very little risk of that if the regulation amount of poison was used. —It -was decided to act on the chairman's suggestion.