FIGHTING THE RABBIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 10

FIGHTING THE RABBIT.

LOANS FOR WIRE-NETTING.

PROJECT IN WAIPA COUNTY.

[BY telegraph. OWN correspondent.)

TE .. AWAMUTU, Friday.

At a meeting of the Waipa County Council this week, information was received from the Otorohanga County clerk giving details of the procedure adopted in advancing to ratepayers facilities for more effectively coping with the rabbit pest. A loan of £2000 was raised privately, repayable in eight yearly instalments, with interest payable half-yearly. The full amount of loan money was spent in wirenetting, a special quotation being obtained for a large quantity. This was sold at cost to ratepayers, only those who had paid their rates to date being eligible to participate. The purchaser was required to pay 15 per cent, deposit, with 10 per cent, off the balance each year, plus interest. ~....'.■>

It was stated by Mr. Alexander, who strongly advocated the scheme, that rabbit boards had' no statutory authority to buy and sell wire-netting, but county councils had. Th© matter was of special interest to ratepayers in the southern portion of the Waipa County, where several rabbit boards were operating. The County Council would be fully protected, for repayment was a charge on the land similar to county rates, taking precedence over mortgages. Members agreed that netting was the best way to check rabbits over-running the whole countryside, and that the council should assist ratepayers, many of whom were unable, to finance the outlay necessary to securely fence their holdings with netting. ' One member remarked . that it was a very serious problem in his district, and that during a recent very comprehensive tour of the riding he had seen scores of rabbits where previously there were only one or two. ' Only those ratepayers who used the netting would have to pay for it, though a rate would have, to be" struck (though not collected) over the whole county to guarantee repayment. The council decided to approve .' the scheme and invite ratepayers to indicate their wants before next month's meeting, when the matter of how much netting to order .would be decided*