RABBIT PEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 13 August 1932, Page 3

RABBIT PEST

NEED FOR CONTROL DEPARTMENT’S HELP COMMENDED The Agricultural Department’s recognition of the fact that runholders must lie assisted to control the rabbit pest is commended in the annual report of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, which Avas adopted at the annual meeting (reports the “Press”). “It will be obvious that with wool at its piescnt level of price, a run holder, especially tho occupier of Crown leaseholds, liot only finds it impossible to pay rent,” says the report, “but unless some assistance is given by the Government, will not be able to deal efficiently with the rabbit pest on tills class of country. “The executive wishes to express its appreciation of the good work done by the officers of the Agricultural and Lands Department in this connection, and it is gratifying to find that the Government Departments concerned realise that should the Crown lands revert to rabbits and deer without adequate control the Government itself will require® shoulder the responsibility of Jewing this class of try free from' pests at the expense of the general taxpayer. The executive will do its utmost to obtain relief-ip this connection as far as possibl6, and :n view of the u'timate liability which will require to be borne by the Crown for country abandoned by Crown tenants and others, it would appear justifiable for fitnds provided by the public for unemployment relief to be used as far as may lie deemed advisable for this purpose.;

AN EXTRA SUBSIDY ; , “As a result of representations -made, additional assistance has been qrlingtid for with regard to labour for rabbit, poisoning on high country An additional subsidy on wages paid and cost of food lias been aranged for, the men to be engaged from the local Government Labour Bureau in each district tlio equipment and overseeing to be the responsibility of the runholdcr Assistance along tlio lines suggested will be greatly appreciated by farmers under, present conditions.”