RABBIT CONTROL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17234, 14 April 1930, Page 2

RABBIT CONTROL

1 ,comparison of rat^s PROPOSAL TO REDUCE COST At Saturday’s meeting of the East Coast. Rabbit Board an interesting letter was received from the North Island Rabbit . Boards’ Association concerning the proposal to roduce the cost of ratibit extermination. The matter was' discussed sit‘some, length, and it was decided to appoint a delegate to attend the annual conference to be held in FcUding next June, but the letter will be considered further later. The letter pointed out that, the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast hoards controlled an area very much greater than any other board in the North 'lsland, and figures relating to their work were given, as under: — Area Rates Board Acres Coltd. Pc'r.ac "Hawke’s Buv 5.000,000 £2OOO 1-1 Od East Coast 1 " 4/000,0b0 £2OOO l-0d ■ It will lie noticed that, the Hawke’s Bay rate, is lower than, the amount collected from the East Coast ratepayers, but the former rate covers oidy administration and inspection, while the East Coast rate covers all expenses, including rabbiting. In order that Hie above figures might Ire compared \vith tliOSe of Other and sma)ler boards in the North >lsland, the following figures were shown: —Waipipi board, Tate per.mire:; ■ SJ; Harapepe, 0d; Ivihikihi, id ,in £; r Whitehall. rate per acre 4 ; Kl; o-hifuia. sd; 'AliUigakowliai, 4d; Tok'OrOa, Id; Pukeokahu-Taotoa, I'd; Wangaehu, 4c!; Maioro, 4tl; Ksiwa.' West. 4d; Maungakawa, 4d; JPcria, odp : Arapao, 4d; Oparuvd; Is; Modwdianga,, Jil; Ohongamomona, Is' in Akitio, rate per acre Jd : ; Puketoi, .4(1; Umutoi. ltd; Ma'nawatu, M; IKiwitca.; Jd; East Pehangina. Id;" Hufitefville, |d; Eangitotp, ,ld; .Cheltenham,"2d; Apiti-Pohangina, Id; Orura, Ijd. “A comparison of these;two sots of figures will show that there appears to ■ be mi opportunity in some cases of greatly reducing the cost of the work to the ratepayers,” continued the letter. “The area of the North Island is approximately 28,100,000 acres; 210,000 are town areas, while Lake Tanpo covers 458,.120 acres, making.;, with the deduction of other large lakes, the'total area to be handled not over 27,500,000 acres. Of .this area, two boards now control 9,000,000. acres, leaving 18,000,000 acres to be divided among the other boards. There are .‘l4 boards controlling only a part of this area, and the balance in nearly, every case constitutes a per pel uni menace to the adjacent boaru. and under the present conditions will continue to be so.- This is obviously not fair fo-fho. ratepayers, 'vMrO, ns shown by-ihe fetm-ns, pay heavy rates to keep their country clear of rabbits, while often just over the fence the other man pays nothing towards iho protection of his property. “The object of the proposal is 1o divide the North Island'into suitable areas under one board, in order that the whole of the country would be protected, and rabbit-proof fences would not be necessary. Local control has proved a success, and on all sides amalgamations nre Staking plate Tvith the purpose of mincing the costs.”