The Pahiatua Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1936 A GOOD START.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13174, 5 February 1936, Page 4

The Pahiatua Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1936 A GOOD START.

We must congratulate the farmers who attended the meeting in Pahiatua yesterday on their vision in pushing on with a scheme tor dealing with the rabbit nuisance, which, involves setting up a Ra.bhit Board tor the lands comprising some 50,000 acres in the Kaitawa, Makuri and Pori districts. The meeting very wisely declined to have anything to do with a Rabbit Association which not only would have to act without the assistance of a Government subsidy, but would not carry the same authority when it came to the collection of. the rates, for, as Mr Sutton pointed out, the Board can seize the property of defaulting ratepayers until same are paid. This gives a Board the same authority as a county council and must prove a big factor in facilitating its work. Of course the whole scheme has yet to be adopted by the property owners in the districts mentioned, who must give a majority vote in favour of the petition before it can be loresen ted for the Governor-Gen era l’s approval. Some years ago the Fongaroa Board had the barest of majorities when the plebiscite was put before the landowners in the Akitio County, but it 'was sufficient to carry the day, arid the benefit delived as a result of it is very apparent today. It was pointed out by Air Sutton that certain lands, which can be proved to be free of rabbits, may be excluded from the Board’s area if successfully petitioned for, and should any farmers* think of. opposing the formation of a Board on that account, such a statement should be very reassuring, and ought to remove any opposition on this score. The iarmors will be asked to sign their names to the petition on the assurance that the rate payable will not exceed 2d an acre. This would bind the hands of the embryo Board for twelve months, but we point out that should the sum not enable the achievement of the* desired result in the first season they will be quite l within their rights in increasing the rates in subsequent years. On a 1000 acre holding this would mean a rate of about £8 per annum, and taking

the aggregate acreage as being 50.(iOO this would produce an income of some £4OO. The Government subsidy paid out when the rates have been collected and the total amount available would be approximately £BOO. This would permit the appointment of at least three inspectors at a salary of £4 per week and would leave a good margin for contingencies. lhe rates of course would not come m for Home months after tlia Board could get going, but being an institution with corporate local body powers the RoarcT could raise an overdraft from the bank up to threequarters of the rate collectable, and this would enable the activities of destruction to be put in hand without undue delay, a factor which is of paramount importance as most farmers must realise.