RABBIT BOARDS’ PROGRESS.

Southland Times, Issue 24548, 24 September 1941, Page 6

RABBIT BOARDS’ PROGRESS.

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DISTRICTS NINE SOUTHLAND AREAS TO BE CREATED Remarkable progress in the establishment of rabbit districts has been made in Southland during the last year and the province now leads the rest of New Zealand in this form of rabbit control. Only four boards were in operation about two years ago, but there are now seven in full activity; four more will begin to operate on the election of trustees within a few weeks and petitions for the establishment of another five districts have been completed. When all 16 boards are operating, 651,000 acres of land will be under their administration.

The success achieved in rabbit control by the boards which were previously in existence is believed to be largely responsible for the greatly increased interest shown by farmers in the system. The first districts weri» established in the face of some strong opposition, but many of the opponents have since accorded the boards enthusiastic support. The general experience after the establishment of a rabbit district in an area badly infested with the pest has been that clearing out the rabbits has resulted in greatly increased carrying capacity on the farms. Some farmers have stated that only when the rabbits were destroyed did they learn that the feed consumed and fouled by the ”abbits would carry many sheep. In addition to offering a subsidy on rates, the Government has recently assisted rabbit boards by making available subsidized labour for carrying out rabbit control. It is believed that similar assistance will be available during the present season, and the new boards will probably have the advantage of this help immediately they begin operations. FULL CONTROL BY BOARDS In Southland the rabbit boards have taken full control of the extermination programme, and the results have been better than in many North Island districts where individual farmers have carried out rabbit destruction on their own farms. It is the opinion of some Southland farmers that although record high prices have been available for skins this year and there has been record destruction, the rabbits are jus' as numerous as ever before in districts where rabbit boards are not in existence. The boards operating in Southland and the acreages they control are as follows:—Lochiel, 42,819 acres; Waimatuku, 26.584; New River Hundred, 50,000; Woodlands, 45.000; Orepuki, 54,500; Scotts Gap, 24,800; Pourakino, 31,600; a total of 275.303 acres. Rabbit districts have been Gazetted in the following areas and boards are about to be elected:—Pukerau, 77,800 acres; South Hillend, 45,000; Otatara-Wallace-town, 21,600; East Road-Makarewa, 34,000. Petitions have been completed and forwarded to Wellington for the following districts:— Wyndham, 38.300 acres; Edendale, 39,600; Winton, 29,800; Waimatua, 38,300; Longridge, 52,000. The total area under control when these boards are in operation will be 651,703. A petition is being circulated for the establishment of a district at Hokonui.