RABBIT BOARDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22478, 13 January 1943, Page 4

RABBIT BOARDS

Formation In South

Canterbury

Pest Becoming a Menace

Realising that the rabbit pest, through the shortage of manpower to combat it, is becoming a menace, several farmers in different parts of South Canterbury are taking steps to form Rabbit Boards which are recognised as the only satisfactory means of controlling the pest. At meetings of farmers held recently it has been decided to proceed with the formation of boards in the following districts: Rangitata-Orari (which comprises approximately 100,000 acres), Upper Pareora (80,000 acres), Otaio (80.000 acres) and Redcliff (on the banks of the Waitaki River). A meeting will be held at Waitohi on Saturday night to consider the formation of a board, and meetings are pending in the Waihao Downs and Waihaorunga districts. Although the Government takes no direct control in the formation of the boards, members of the Department of Agriculture lend their assistance when it is needed. Provision for the formation of Rabbit Boards is made in the Rabbit Nuisance Act (1928) which was amended from 1908. If a board is desired in a district a public meeting is called and at that meeting the boundaries of the district are decided. A petition is then circulated in the district and the Government is asked to declare the area a rabbit district. A Rabbit Board is then elected on the same lines as a county council and this board has full control of the destruction of rabbits in the rabbit district. It employs all labour and supplies all material. Each board comprises six members, five elected by the ratepayers in the rabbit district and one nominated by the Government. Each board determines the rates to be struck in its district.

Although the Government pays a £ for £ subsidy on rates collected by each board, it was announced recently that a further subsidy of 50 per cent on the rates collected would be paid for approved methods of destruction.