STATE AID TO DESTROY RABBITS IN HAWKE’S BAY BEING SOUGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, 31 January 1947, Page 6

STATE AID TO DESTROY RABBITS IN HAWKE’S BAY BEING SOUGHT

(P.A.) Hastings, Jan. 30. An approach to he Minister of Agriculture (Mr. E. L. Cullen) seeking his immediate aid in the destruction ot rabbits in the Hawke's Bay is to be made by a special committee set up at a conference representative of the six East Coast rabbit boards held in Hastings. The decision was made after a disturbing story had ben unfolded indicating that large areas of land have already gone out of production and other areas are similarly threatened by the rabbit menace.

’’Probably anything up to 250,000 acres of back inland land which once carried stock has gone, and more will go," declared one speaker. He thought they might be on the verge of a tremendous problem. The time was com. ing when there must be a grading of lands and there were areas which it was simply hopeless trying to keep in production. It was time a survey was made of all third-class marginal country and areas of it perhaps handed back to the Crown.