EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3301, 21 August 1911, Page 3

EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The East Coast Rabbit Board met on Saturday morning, when the following were present Messrs. Holden (in the chair), J. C. Field, and W. Ross. Mr. D. Ross, field supervisor of the Hawke’s Bay district, acknowledged receipt of the Board’s letter of 21st June. He went on to say that it was not his wish to enter into any discussion unless it was so clesirea.- The matter furnished to the Board was a copy of his report to the Department. He was under no obligation to transmit it to the Board, except a moral one that abhorred secrecy in such matters as affected the public welfare. As already indicated, ho did not wish to impose counsel or advice to the Board, but if it was considered that 'impartial supervision was advantageous as it had proved in Hawke’s Bay, it would be .continued, and if permitted the results would be made known to the Board; but if it was considered that the opinions of his subordinates, however obtained outweighed him, or tho.se of a disinterested officer, clearly any report from him to the Board was superfluous. The poison gang was at work in Hellier’s Valley on the occasion of his second visit to Runanga. He found no fault with the work they were doing, for the same gang had done excellent work in Runanga. This did not account for the total neglect to the Native block adjoining Runanga on the eastern side. It did not account for other things that he need not advert to. He would not on any occasion complain to the Board’s field'officers that would be an undue interference. Proceeding at considerable length Mr. Ross reviewed the work of the Board’s employees, and concluded by saying that he thought they would all presently understand each other and work as harmoniously as they could, and be all animated by the same spirit. The letter was received.

In reply to the Board’s letter of the 15th ultimo, the Clerk of the Bay of Plenty County Council stated that the Council believed that good work had been. done in their district, but some rabbits had been seen close to the Maori pah at Waioeka. With regard to the other side of the Whakatane River, one of the councillors present at the last meeting stated that he had seen rabbits on the sandhills between Whakatane and Matata.

On Mr. Holden’s suggestion it was decided that a copy of the above report be sent to Inspector McGill. Mr. D. Ross, field supervisor at Hawke’s Bay, wrote stating that the Hawke’s Bay Board would reply tb them re the part of Mr. Turner’s report affecting them. Both matters would be the subject of investigation by him as soon as opportunity permitted.—Received. ” .

Mr. Bert Heays, Kopuriki, Te Houhi, wished to bring under the notice of the Board the satisfactory way in which rabbits had been dealt with in his district.—Received.

Inspector A. McGill reported that he had found things satisfactory at Rangitaiki, and the rabbits had taken the poison well. The men on the Ruatoki side had finished poisoning there, and the Opoti'ki men had not caught any more rabbits since his last report. Inspector Turner, of Wairoa, reported having paid attention to the Tutaekuri native block, but had found no trace of rabbits there, and he wished the Board to rest assured that there was now no danger of invasion from that block. He had practically cleared the lower end of the Mohaka block, and had shifted the men higher up. With reference to the Ngatapa end, he found that he would have to put another rabbiter on for a while. He had done a good deal of poisoning at Ngatapa and Mangahopai, and a good many rabbits had been killed. The report was adopted.

The secretary of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Hamilton Irvine, forwarded a form for signature petitioning that a continuous service be inaugurated. —Received. The secretary was instructed to write to the Board’s inspectors advising them that they would be notified at any time when the Board required their presence at the meetings. The secretary was further instructed to warn Inspector Turner that there were forty men employed on country adjoining the Board’s boundary, and to advise him that their advance would have to be watched in case of an invasion. It was in addition resolved to instruct inspectors to work as near as possible in concert with gangs working on the other side of the boundary. The Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board asked for a donation towards the cost of the new ambulance.

Members questioned whether the Board was at liberty to vote funds for such a purpose, and it was decided to get legal advice on the subject. An enclosure from the Department of Agriculture, with a letter from Inspector McGill, • and containing general information concerning the district and the most effective methods of dealing with the pest, was read and received.