EAST COAST COAST RABBIT BOARD

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3125, 23 January 1911, Page 2

EAST COAST COAST RABBIT BOARD

ORDINARY MEETING. All ordinary meeting of the East Coast Rabbit Board was held on Saturday. Present: Messrs. E. M. Hutchinson (in the chair), J. C. Field, T. Holden, and \V. J. Hennessy (secretary). Mr. W. D. Lj-snar (chairman) was present during part of the meeting, but had to leave to catch the steamer for the South. CORRESPONDENCE. The Hawke’s Bay Rabbit Board wrote stating that a communication from the East Coast Rabbit Board dated November oth reported that rabbits were in some numbers on the Runanga Estate, within the Hawke’s Bay Rabbit District. The Board’s inspector had visited the locality mentioned, and could find no indication of the trouble, the country being in very fair order. Their inspector also learned from Mr. Marsh, of Runanga, that the lands lie referred in his Jotter to the East Coast Board were the Pohukura Crown lands block and a native block in the vicinity, both. blocks being from ten to twelve miles to the north of the Hawke’s Bay boundary, and well within the East Coast Rabbit Board’s district. There had evidently been some misundeistanding about the matter. The Hawke’s'Bay Board also inquired as to the East Coast Board’s practice in dealing with the pest on private lands as well as on Crown and Native country at the cost of their general fund. Did they recover any portion of such expenditure from private owners, and what arrangements were entered into with them y

On the motion of Mr. Field, it was decided to obtain legal opinion as to whether the general funds of the Board coidd be applied for the extermination of rabbits on private lands. It was thought that possibly a mistake had been made regarding the presence of rabbits on the Runanga estate. The secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists, wrote in reference to a communication received from Mr. A. E. Silva. Whangapara. Great Barrier Island, in which he stated that certain persons on the Island were releasing rabbits. The matter had been brought under the notice of the Fields and Experimental Farms Division of the Department for action. The letter was received. The Wairoa County Council recommended Mr. James L. Bowen to fill the vacancy on the Board caused by the resignation of Mr. J. J. Parker. Mr. Win. Ross, Inspector of Rabbits and Noxious Weeds, wrote stating that in accordance with information received, he visited the Park Racecourse on December 24th, and had an interview with the caretaker (Mr. W. Priestly), who informed him that a small black rabbit had been netted in the produce shed on the grounds about ten days previously. It was kept alive for some days and then killed, and the skin kept. Priestly had since seen another rabbit, hut could not catch it.—The letter was received. INSPECTORS’ REPORTS.

Inspector McCullough reported on December 31st. that owing to ill-health lie had been unable to attend to bis duties as well as he would have liked. The first few days of the month lie was in the Waikaremoana district looking over the lands adjoining Mr. Heslop's Estate, but found no traces of rabbits. In reference to Mr. Heslop making a complaint regarding failure to send a rabbiter and traps to him, he instructed a rabbiter to go up to the Waihao Estate, and he had not carried out the instructions. When he found indications of rabbits on Mr. Heslop’s property he interviewed him on the matter, and showed him indications of rabbits, and he was satisfied on that point. He stated that he was sure the rabbits had been carried on to his property, and that he would do the rabbiting himself, and did not want the Board to interfere in the matter. He regretted to notice that the papers stated a rabbit had been caught on Mr. Heslop’s property, as that was not true. A Native reported to him that he had seen a rabbit on the Native lands adjoining Mr. Heslop’s property, about a mile from where he found indications. Mr. T.

Walker, owner of Ruapapa station, had also reported that a rabbit bad been seen by one of bis shepherds. He was afraid all the rabbits in this district bad not turned into bares as yet. He had

a rabbi ter looking over these properties, but as yet be bad not been able to locate rabbits. Mr. G. Goodhawl bad been appointed as rabbiter for Frasertown. The gate bad been erected on the Mohaka bridge on December 11th. and there would be trouble, be thought, in keeping the gate closed. The gate on the Waikareuioana bridge will be erected at once. Ho fresh traces of rabbits bad been found at Maungaianiwha. A rabbiter caught two rabbits at Pout-ore. The report was received. Inspector McGill reported on January sth that he bad been having a. good look round the country that week, and found things very satisfactory, especially at the Opotiki end. The men were not making an average of one rabbit a day now. The two men at the south end were not getting two a week. They had the rabbits nearly all cleared out, and when they could net catch one lie would shift them to the north end, as on account of the area there was a great deal to do. Ho had found old traces of rabbits between the Wakatane and Rangitaika Rivers, but there were only one or two, and lie thought they had all been caught. He had put on two men from Te Tiko during the week, hut they thought they had caught all the rabbits. They were going back again in a week’s time. There were very few rabbits anywhere iust now, and from Te Telco to Galatea they were all well in hand. Galatea was the worstplace, but it was getting cleaner every month. It was difficult to work on account of stock. There was about two weeks’ poisoning to be done in Ruan-unga-Napier-Taupo road, and that would be ' the last till March, as the rabbits did not take the poisoning too well during the next two months. He would only have the permanent men on trapping and dogging till then. , The casual employees he would put off till the poisoning season again commenced. The report was received, and it was decided to ask Inspector McGill why he did not go in for more poisoning. AN APPOINTMENT. Inspector McCullough’s services wove dispensed with, and Mr. E. J. Turner was appointed inspector. FINANCIAL. The secretary reported that the receipts on December 31st amounted to £2SIG 14s, and the expenditure to £2075 2c. 4d, leaving a balance of £741 11s Bd.