MASTERTON BABBIT TRUSTEES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 507, 5 July 1880, Page 2

MASTERTON BABBIT TRUSTEES.

: A meeting of the above, was held oh Saturday, 3rd July 1880. Present-Messrs Stuckey, (in < the chair,) Welch, Cave, Hood, and Holmes. - The minutes of the previous meeting having been read- and confirmed; the Beyeral Trustees furnished reports of their lespective districts' in pursuance of a resolution pasaed at a previous meeting. From, these,;it .appeared' that but r few land-owners were taking Bunioient steps to keep-down the rabbits, the efforts of seme being futile for want of a systematic way of dealing with the pest, while'a great proportion were doing nothing. The Chairman reported; he had arranged for the purchase of 20.1b phosporus and 20oz of oil of rhodium from a gentleman inthe district, and that a further supply was obtainable from the same source, which it was deoided to take. Mr Holmes presented letters from several,merchants in Wellington,.relative to the purchase of phosphorus., On the motion of Mr Hood, seconded' by Mr Welch, it was resolved —That applications for the appointment of inspector be invitod by the Masterton district, and in the event of Carterton joining, then for the two districts. : ,; A n amendment proposed by Mr Holmes '—That the appointment should have reference to Masterton alone, and should only cover a period of from July to end-of October—lapsed for want of a seconder. A deputation; consisting of Messrs Nix aud Burton.Boya waited on the Trustees, with a view of-seeing-if any arrangement could be come to with reference to the two districts joining in the 'appointment "of one "inspector. After a lengthy discussion, Mr Nix made the fol-

lowing proposal :—The Carterton Trustees ;i are willing to join in the appointment, of t an inspector, provided the salary does' not s exceed £l5O per annum, to be borne pro rata by each district on the rateable acret age. Upon discussion, the Masterton B Trustees decided thai it would not be to the advantage of this district to accept i these terms, it being considered .that a more thorough inspector would be secured b by the appointment being made for the 3 Masterton district alone; this resolution • was then communicated to the deputation.. Reference having been made to the orevalence of the pest about the banks" of, . and on the islands in the Waingawa ( stream, the Carterton Trustees promised ' to devote special attention to keeping the 3 lower portions clear/while Mr Holmes 1 agreed to look after the upper banks and t islands, The deputation then witht drew. Thfe following resolutions were then , passed :—That the Inspector be paid at p the rate of £l3O per annum.-That a rate fc. of \ d per acre be levied on the properties , of all landowners within the district, aud r that the same be payable forthwith ; inti- ■ mation of this to be given landowners by circular.-That no landowner shall be ( allowed to purchase more that 101b of ■ phosphorus and lOot of rhodium before j the next meeting of Trustees, and that Trustees would be allowed to supply phosphorus gratis when required solely for the purpose of laying on unoccupied native and Government land. The meeting then adjourned till'the 17th inst.,,at lla.m,