FARM PESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19239, 1 August 1924, Page 7

FARM PESTS.

BABBITS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS. MR \V. D. LYSNAR’S APPEAL. (From Oob Own Cohbebpondent.) WELLINGTON, July 31. In a speech m the Budget debate to-daW Mr W. D. Lysnar made a strong appeal for energetic measures in coping with rabbits and noxious weeds. He suggested thaij there should be a differential rate on lands infested with blackberry. Legislation of A practical kind should be introduced in this direction as soon as possible. Thousands of acres of good laud were being" ruined ■ through this noxious plant. In regard to the rabbit pest, it was im» : portant that energetic measures should bo ! taken. Legislation should be passed giving magistrates power to order poisoning co rabbit-infested country. They would never successfully grapple with the pest until they adopted a general system of poisoning, mat was better than any other process' - of killing rabbits. He was glad to say that ■ there was no rabbit pest in his district owing to the efforts of the Rabbit Board, which had kept between 5,000,000 ana 5.000. acres of land clear with only A few men. As long as that system was continued that land would be free from babbits, but other parts of the country were suffering. A small board would do no good, but would do harm. What was wanted was big ■, boards. They should not allow a hoard to be formed for less than 1,000.000 acres. In his district they rated the whole of those 6.000. acres and kept the land clear at very little cost to the people. If there wefo any rabbits the board told the farmers to, leave them alone —the board would deal with them: It would send men to any part of the country. Recently on receipt of a report a man was sent 100 miles, to ascertain the facts, but all he found was a rat hole.—(Laughter.) iiowever, the board did not object to that. It had got the necessary information.