Foxton

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6850, 4 March 1929, Page 5

Foxton

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit board was held in the board’s office on Thursday, and was presided over by Trustee B. G. Gower (chairmau). Also present were Trustees W. E. Barber, R. Boswell, A. Cook, T. A. Grammer, F. C. Raikes, J. F. McKelvie, J. Gloyn and the secretary, Mr. R. Rangiheuea. Correspondence was dealt with as follows:

From the secretary North Island Rabbit Boards’ association, re the appointment of delegates and annual subscription.—lt, was resolved to appoint Trustees Gower and Raikes as delegates to the next conference of Rabbit boards to bo held on May 22.

It was decided on the motion of Trustee Gower . seconded by Trustee Barber, to make and levy a rate of }d per acre on all rateable properties in the Manawatu Rabbit district, such rate to bo for a period of one year from January 1, 1928 to March 31, 1930, and shall become due and payable in one sum at the board’s office, Foxton, on April 1, 1929, and that a discount of 5 per cent will bo allowed off all rates (save on minimums or on rates of Is) paid in full on or before May 1, 1929.

Accounts amounting to £9l 8s lid were passed for payment.

It was resolved on the motion of Trustees Gower and Barber, to empower Rabbit Board inspectors to take proceedings without the necessity of joint inspections, also that any action to remove the protection on stoats and weasels be placed before Rabbit Boards and the Department of Agriculture before sanction Ls granted. The inspector’s report was as follows: "During the past month I have been engaged in general inspection work and also in following up woth personal inspection those properties, the owners of which had been notified, on which further work was necessary. In several cases the work has been carried out, while in others still another request has been necessary. A number of farmers give the excuse that they have not had time to carry out the work, but, as has been pointed out on many previous occasions, the eradication of tho rabbit pest on farming land is just as important a work as any. In several cases, it has been pointed out to landowners that the delay in fumigating as soon as the first signs of rabbits are in evidence, only makes the work more arduous and expensive as it must be carried out in the end. requests for work are not being carried out as promptly as they should be, although all such requests are made purely in the interests of the owners themselves.

Tho district as a whole is in very fair order at the present time and if constant supervision is exercised by owners themselves the keeping down of the pest should present 'no difficulties whatever. Tf appears, though, that the less work that is required to be done, the less the owner feels inclined to carry it out. On the majority'of properties it should be quite a simple and inexpensive matter to keep the pest down to less than it is at the present moment.

I intend at the beginning of the month to advise all owners, where such is necessary, to carry out a pollard poisoning, and I think it would be advisable to try and make arrangements to have such a poisoning carried out on the islands of the Rangitikei river bed. The stocks of the poison suggested to me at the last meeting have run out, and as far as I can ascertain, it is not now obtainable in New Zealand.”—Adopted.