EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14703, 7 September 1918, Page 3

EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

■ The usual meeting of the East Coast Rabbit Board was held at noon to-day, when there were present. Messrs J. C Field, E. M. Hutchinson (chairman), Cameron, Allen, W. D. Lysnar, and Holden. A letter was received from Mr F. Mcßae, of Springhill, Frasertown, complaining that he had caught a rabbiter m the act of killing and skinning one of his hoggets. He regretted having to report the matter, but considered it his duty. — The services of the man m ques tion had been immediately dispensed with. Other correspondence of a formal ' nature was received. The Opotiki district returns showed the following kills for the month: X Fitzgerald, VVaiohou north, 10;' Locke and Wao, Taneatua,l; John Hume, Waiotahi, nil; T. Anderson, Galatea, 5; B. Messents. Galatea, 26; W. H. Bird, Galatea, 12 ,- total 54. In the Wairoa district six kills were reported, as follows : G. Ridge well, Wairoa, nil ; W. Nugent and England, Clydebank, nil; Hardan and Wells, Mohaka, 2; Douglas and. Taylor, Wairoa, nil; Oldham and McLean, Okare, nil; J. Wells, Mohaka, 1; .Ross and Grey, Mohaka,' 1: Smith and Kelly, Mohaka, 1; and Cnri#tie and Wells, Marumaru, 1. Chief-Inspector McGill reported that since the last meeting he had inspected the country right back to the bush ' next th© Waikaremoana lake. AH this country he found clean, with no fresh traces of rabbits on any part. He also went over country between Marumaru and Te Reinga falls. This country was also very deaii, although there had been one rabbit caught at Opoiti . The rest of the country from Marumaru to Frasertown had been gone over by the rabbiters and. so far nothing had been seen. There have been two rabbits caught on the Gisborne side of the Wairoa river, one at Opoiti, and the other on the sand hills at Nuhaka. He had only been over a "small portion of the Mohaka side up to now, Putere, Te Anui part of Cricklewood, and Whakanui, but found no fresh traces, one rabbit being caught on Putere. The Mo- ■', haka native block he had not been over yet, but up to now there had been three j rabbits caught, making six killed for the whole of the Wairoa side. There were a lot of farmers complaining about the rabbiters going among the ewes j with, dogs. As there were ewes and lambs everywhere, and no bulk of I country with dry sheep, he had given the men instructions to only take two' dogs out with them, but if they came j across any rabbits, they would have to t-'ke more. This was the first year t j ere had been any complaints of this sort, and it would not do to put the men off for a month on this account. | as they might not get them to start again. He also called on Mr. Mcßae, I of Springhill, ' and saw him about one of the rabbiters who killed one of his hoggets. He said he was very sorry the thing happened, but he does not intend to take any further action. I also saw the rabbiter concerned, and he said he did not think there was any harm m doing what he did, as the sheep would have been dead by the morning, and he did it openly m front of the ■ house. — The report was considered very satisfactory. It was decided to leave the insurance of the Board with the New Zealand Insurance Co.