RABBIT DESTRUCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25309, 20 August 1943, Page 6

RABBIT DESTRUCTION

CARTRIDGES MADE AVAILABLE LIMITED SUPPLY FOR FARMERS (P.AO WELLINGTON, Aug. 19. Tire Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr D. G. Sullivan, in a statement tonight, said that arrangements had been made to allocate from production from time to time a supply of shotgun cartridges for the destruction of pests which directly affect the Dominion’s war production. “ The destruction of rabbits and other farm pests comes within this category," the Minister explained, ” and arrangements have been made to supply the minimum number of cartridges certified as essential for this purpose, having regard to the fullest possible employment of other means of rabbit destruction, such as poisoning and trapping. It will be appreciated that the army and the air force must receive the major portion of the factory's production, and that only a very limited quantity is available as vet for the destruction of pests.” ' Mr Sullivan said that the Minister of Agriculture, Mr J. G. Barclay, had arranged that stock inspectors and other officers of his department would issue permits to rabbit boards and to farmers whose production was being adversely affected by rabbits and other pests on their land. " These permits,” he added, ” shculd not cover more than one month’s requirements, as otherwise available supplies could not be spread equitably. The farmers may use these cartridges themselves, allow employees or friends to use them, or organise rabbit drives, so long as the cartridges are used over the land specified in the permit and are used for the approved purpose.” Farmers are asked to secure their permits and lodge them with their usual storekeeper or merchant, who in turn will pass the permit, through the usual channels, to the distributors. The retail price has been fixed by the Price Tribunal at 8s 3d for 25. The release of 250,000 cartridges now being shipped from the factory will cover the bulk of the outstanding permits, but the Minister said that some of the larger permits cannot be supplied in full this month.