RABBIT CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26909, 22 October 1948, Page 6

RABBIT CONTROL

HIGH COUNTRY PROBLEM “KILLER” POLICY DISCUSSED “ You will never get anywhere with the destruction of rabbits by paying on a wage basis,” said Mr J. Preston (Palmerston) at an executive meeting of Otago Federated Farmers yesterday afternoon. “ You will get men on the job who do not know anything about it. They will get the rabbits into a state where it will be impossible to catch them.” Mr Preston’s remarks were made in the course of a general discussion of the Rabbit Destruction Council’s proposal to set up “ killer ” boards which would employ men on wages, it was contended that while a wage basis might be a satisfactory one for paying rabbiters in some districts, it wo uid not work in the high country of Central Otago. The matter was introduced by Mr W. P. McDonald (Wakatipu) who detailed the proposals of the Destruction Council to the executive. The main reasons for the objection of the high country men to the proposal was that ail their shepherds were experienced rabbiters, and the rate of payment for rabbi ers, estimated at between £ll "and £l2 weekly, would naturaLy e.aat i. hands into the employment of the boards. The chairman of the Destruction Council had said that besides the levy against property holders and the Government subsidy of £ for £ there would be ample funds available for the destruction of rabbits from the Consolidated Fund. Budgets throughout the various districts nad been drawn up and it was estimated that another £1,000,000 would be required to finance the scheme as outlined by the council. High country men were afraid that this money would not be forthcoming. It had also been laid down as a law that no owner could engage in the destruction of rabbits on his own property. High country runholders did not want to farm rabbits. They were only concerned with the destruction of the pest, but it was absurd to prohibit them from destroying rabbits as and when they could on their own properties. The result of this edict would be that a number of men would go off their properties. Payment for rabbi ers would be £6 4s, plus 30s food allowance, plus £1 a week for a horse, plus £1 for every 100 rabbits caught. In some cases rabbiters would catch 200 a week without difficulty. All skins became the property of the council. Mr J. S. Hunt (Upper Clutha) said North Island conditions were not the same as those in Central Otago, and a system of destruc.ion that suited the north was no good in the south’s high country. Let Federated Farmers support the north in their scheme, and get them to back the south in theirs, he said.

After further discussion it was resolved to recommend to the Dominion Council of Federated Farmers that because of its special features the Destruction Council be asked to give special consideration to Ceniral Otago as suggested.