DOMINION-WIDE PROBLEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27346, 23 March 1950, Page 8

DOMINION-WIDE PROBLEM

Depredations Of Rabbits

CALL FOR UNITED EFFORT

y Special Correspondent CROMWELL, Mar. 22. Throughout this afternoon the Minister of Agriculture and his Parliamentary under-secretary, Mr S. G. Smith, heard opinions on the rabbit problem from a gathering of 150 people, interested farmers and rabbit board personnel. Summing up the feeling of those present, Mr Holyoake at the conclusion of the meeting said that he had not come to Central Otago to debate the rabbit question but to find out personally as much as he could about the rabbit menace. “I think it is clear that the great majority of you agree that there must be a united organised effort on all fronts against j rabbits,” said the Minister. “The problem is Dominion-wide j and does not apply only to isolated parts. I cannot say that we ' can consider the problem only as it affects Central Otago, and f I would not like to see a policy here or in any other isolated part that differs from the main policy, though I have not taken any definite stand against such a possibility.”

After consideration of the evidence that had been placed before Mr Smith and himself, Mr Holyoake said that there appeared to be four main reasons which had added to the acuteness of the rabbit menace.

Lack of labour was making rabbit destruction very difficult, and coupled with this was the fact that a very mild winter and a benevolent breeding season had been experienced. Another vital reason was that the rabbit’s cash value was gone because the overseas market had virtually collapsed. The fourth reason was that the transition .period from commercial exploitation and board control had presented difficulties which only time could overcome.

“These reasons have been made obvious both at Kurow last night and here tonight,” said Mr Holyoake. It has also been made abundantly clear that the overwhelming opinion is in favour of rabbit boards, but in the methods of operation there appears to be a wide divergence of thought. I think I am right in saying that the main opposition is individual opinion, while a substantial majority of boards are in favour of giving at least a further reasonable trial to the Rabbit Destruction Council policy.” A number of speakers had stated that the bounty on or sale of Skins of stoats and ferrets was detrimental to rabbit destruction, the Minister continued/ The question of protection of the natural enemies of rabbits was important, and he would go into that matter .with--Mr Bodkin and seek his co-operation., * Labour Difficulties “The labour problem appears to be closely associated with housing for rabbiters. and you can rest assured that we will give every possible help in this direction,” he added. It was also evident that rabbit destruction had been hindered very seriously during recent months by a lack of phosphorus for the manufacture of pollard poison. ‘ The establishment of one or more depots in the South Island was being considered, and he understood that a commercial firm intended to establish a depot at Cromwell. Another matter which would be investigated immediately was the supply of wire netting. During the general discussion, Mr J. C. Sanders said that he was wholeheartedly in favour of the Destruction Council, but he was not in favour of the wage policy, which had a crippling effect on the board’s efforts to obtain labour. Three years ago there had not been more than about 100,000 rabbits in the Manuherikia Rabbit district, but today there were three times. that number because of the labour shortage. Under the old levy system rabbits had been greatly reduced, and it was evident that incentive was.-needed. Men would not go intO;~the .back country for wages. “ I consider that the setting of bonus rates per hundred should be left in the hands -of individual boards,” said Mr Sander!,: Wire,netting was an essential in the destruction of rabbits, and. he recommended that the Minister should, consider a special rate for this purpose, to.be subsidised £ for £ by the Government. It was difficult to rate much of the poor land in Central Otago more than IJd, but he personally would be prepared to pay more, though r only provided the money was put toward incentive and not spent in wages. “The rabbit problem is so bad in Central Otago at present that some of us have Ead to sell sheep which should have been kept another yea* had feed been available,” he said. Council’s Policy Supported Mr W. A. Scaife said that the Wanaka Rabbit Board was completely in favour of the Rabbit Destruction Council’s policy, which was the only real effort that had ever been made to tackle the rabbit menace. There was no other way to exterminate rabbity and this generation had a definite duty to posterity to save the land from despoliation. Difficulties had been experienced in . implementing the new policy, but these had been expected, said Mr Scaife. Criticism that the killer policy would not work was negative. There was ample proof that it did work most effectively, and when ratepayers and boards settled down to harmonious working the killer policy * would come into its own.