Destruction of Natural Enemies of Rabbits.

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3757, 18 May 1936, Page 7

Destruction of Natural Enemies of Rabbits.

WEASELS AND STOATS. A BOUNTY ON TAILS. RABBIT BOARD'S CONCERN. Concern was expressed at the monthly meeting, of Te Akau North Rabbit Board, held at Tuakau recently, over the proposal of acclimatisation societies throughout New Zealand to pay a bounty on weasels and stoats’ tailsy because these animals were the natural enemies of rabbits. The question was introduced by Mr 0. M. Monckton of Waingaro, who wrote stating that he understood a large amount of money had been paid by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society for hawks’ feet and stoats’ tails. Mr Monckton added: “I think'it is time for the different rabbit boards to take the matter up with the Government. I can only speak for my district, but here the pheasants are a thing of the past. We spend hundreds of pounds annually on pollard which is absolutely fatal for pheasants but when it comes to rabbits or pheasants I leave it to the sheep men to say. I should like to know actually how many farmers in this district shot a pheasant last year—certainly a few were shot by outside motorists early in the morning or late in the evening. Now we pay heavily to keep rabbits down and yet our rabbiters are paid a bonus on all they can trap of the natural enemies of the rabbit. In fact they look on it as a business. I think it is an absolutely wrong policy and the board should strongly object.” The chairman, Mr E. H. Nolan, said the subsidy this year would depend on all the other societies agreeing to pay the same as the Auckland Society. Such consent being obtained, the societies then proposed to try to obtain a pound for pound Government subsidy. The Minister of Internal Affairs was very sympathetic and it was likely that the societies would obtain the subsidy. Question For Conference. Mr E. B. Baker said the matter was one for the Rabbit Boards’ conference but unfortunately the conference lapsed some years ago owing to lack of interest. He understood efforts were being made to resuscitate it. The chairman expressed the , opinion that the matter was becoming quite serious as efforts were being made to destroy the natural enemies of rabbits; in fact trappers were setting themselves out to catch stoats and weasels. The chief inspector, Mr G. F. Soilness, said that a stoat having been caught in a trap would not live afterwards. Besides a good percentage were caught in traps without making a special effort to catch them. He Instanced a property where systematic trapping had been carried out and now it was the worst in the district for rabbits. The chairman said that although stoats and weasels died of diseases they were a great help in. keeping down the rabbit pest. It was decided to write to the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, pointing out that one Government department was paying a subsidy to help to destroy rabbits, while it was proposed that another department should pay a subsidy to help to destroy the natural enemies of rabbits. One member remarked: Let us getrid of rabbits first, then we can commence breeding pheasants. It was decided to reply to Mr Monckton advising him of the board’s intention to bring the matter under the notice of the Minister of Agriculture.