RABBIT CONTROL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19373, 10 July 1937, Page 16

RABBIT CONTROL

EAST COAST BOARD MONTHLY MEETING THE KEEPING OF PETS A firm stand has been taken by the East Coast Rabbit Board in the matter of keeping pet rabbits and as a result of recent reports of the unauthorised keeping of these animals in the board territory the board has issued instructions for the offenders to be prosecuted.

This decision was made at the monthly meeting of the board this morning, when there were present Messrs. E. M. Hutchinson, chairman, M. T. Trafford, C. G. Holdsworth, E. M. Monckton, and F. R. Bould, of the Department of Agriculture. Payments amounting to £379 were confirmed.

Northern Area During the month traces were found in the sandhills near Thornton and one rabbit was caught, but after,that there were no further signs, reported the inspector, Mr. H. A. Burgess. An inspection was made of the country in the Te Tekq .block, signs being found on Mr: Dawson’s property and though one stop was located it was not occupied. Since then a rabbit had been shot by one of the! settlers. There were no fresh traces in the Waiohau district.

In the high country up the Horomanga River he found no fresh signs. Two rabbits were caught on the Crown lands at Murupara and a nest of five was destroyed. Other countiy inspected was Te Whaiti, Minganui, Okaria, and Arohaki, and in a clearing in the bush one rabbit was caught at Arohaki, but there were no further indications. Nothing could be found in the clearings at Ngaputaki and Taraporuru.

A white rabbit was reported seen running loose at Opotiki, but no sign could be found of it and he concluded that it had been killed by dogs. Rabbits killed in June were:—Sandhills, 1; Waiohau, 1; Arohaki, 1; Murupara, 2 and nest; total, 5.

Southern Area A report was submitted that the sub-inspector, Mr. T. R. England, had worked the properties of Messrs. N. Mogford, N. Mackay, N. McKinnon, McKinnon Bros. (Stratholm station), E. Glendinning (Waihua station), D. Glynan (Te Wai-Kopers), and the Waihau native lands, which had been found to be clean. On the property of Mr. A. Kirk, one rabbit was caught. Another was caught on the Putere Crown land and another on the Mohaka native land, but nothing was found on the Mohaka Crown land. Ngalapa station and Mr. R. Andrews land were clean, as was also all Putere settlement and part ot Maungatanaoha.

The properties of Messrs. Eriksen (Riverslea), Richardson Bros., Ramlose, and O'Donovan were lacking traces. There was still a rabbit on Mr. S. Mitchell’s land. Nothing was found on the river faces at Waireka or Otoi, but one rabbit was caught on Waihi. Wahanui, Pihanui, and Cricklewood were clear. Rabbits were reported to have been seen on the Whataroa block, but on making an inspection of that country he found nothing. He looked over the adjoining places belonging to Mr. 11. Jelfreys, Painga station, and the Ohiwa block.

Old signs of a rabbit, which had been caught the previous week, were found on Waihi station. Tapui and Parkhurst lacked signs. Work was held up for several days on account of wet weather, yet a large area ol ground was covered. Rabbits killed during the month were: —Waihi station, 1; Mr. A. Kirk’s, 1; Putere Crown land, 1: Mohaka native land, 1; total, 4.