WARM TRIBUTE TO CHAIRMAN OF RABBIT BOARD

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 March 1947, Page 6

WARM TRIBUTE TO CHAIRMAN OF RABBIT BOARD

Chairman of the Patea-Waitotara Rabbit Board for 20 years, Mr. Claud Smith (Brunswick), who resigned recently for health reasons, was presented with a dining-room clock when he attended a meeting of the board by invitation yesterday. Warm tributes were paid to his long yeays of service, his ability as a chairman, and to the work he had done toward keeping rabbits under control in the boaid’s district.

One ratepayer, expressing regret that Mr Smith had resigned, also paid a tribute to his work, and that of the board in keeping the rabbits in check, in spite of limited resources. The rate paid by settlers toward the cost of the board’s operations wa s described as a good insurance. “This is an unpleasant duty because Mr Smith has been an excellent chairman, and we are sorry to lose him,” said the chairman, Mr. T. E. Wilson (Waitotara), before making the presentation. “He is universally recogn;sed by members of the board as having done an outstanding job for ratepayers in this area. At all times he has facilitated the work of the board by the excellent way he has conducted its meetings.” Mr. Wilson added that Mr. Smith was first chairman of the board when it was formed about 23 years ago, retaining office for about nine years. At that time the slump was in progress and practically all members of the board, including Mr. Smith, were defeated at an election.

During the next three years little or no money was spent by the board, with the result that rabbits were soon out of hand in the district and presenting a serious problem. At the next election, however, Mr. Smith and other previous *nembers of the board were returned to office. Mr. Smith continuing as chairman till he resigned recently. “Mr. Smith, with his knowledge of the best procedure for dealing with the pest, ha s given much assistance to ratepayers in this area and settlers generally,” Mr. Wilson said.

The board had decided not to allow him to retire without making a presentation ,and wshcd to express in some tangible way its appreciation of all that Mr. Smt* had done over a long period of years. “I am sorry that all ratepayers in the district are not in a position to know what Mr. Smith has done,” Mr. Wilson added.

Mr. Smith, in reply, said he warmly appreciated the gifts and the kindly remarks made about his work. After long experience of trying to assist his fellow farmers he had found that brickbats were more likely to be forthcoming than bouquets. The Patea-Waitotara Rabbit Board and its members had done good work, and if there had been shortcomings this was no fault of the board. Mr. Wilson commented that the board had operated during a very difficult war period when there was a shortage of men and materials. “All members of the board have done their best to keep this rabbit pest in check,” said Mr. Smith, who added that everything possible had been accomplished under the circumstances. Since the old members of the board were returned to office about 11 years ago, after being off for three years, it had ben necessary to increase the rate periodically in order to check the menace of rabbits on farm lands. “In the Hawke’s Bay Rabbit Board’s area the pests are out of control and that could easily happen here, 1 ’ said Mr. Smith. Mr. James Currie (Brunswick' has been appointed to fill the vacancy on the board caused by Mr. Smith’s resignation. Mr. Currie was welcomed at the meeting yesterday.