SUPPRESSION OF RABBITS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3745, 3 February 1913, Page 5

SUPPRESSION OF RABBITS.

MEETING OF THE BOARD. The monthly meeting of the East Coast Rabbit Board was hold on Saturday, there being present Messrs E. M. Hutchinson (chairman), W. G. Sherratt, W. Ross and T. Holden. It was agreed that those settlers who had paid overdue rates without the additional 10 per cent, should be requested to pay the percentage imposed. WAIROA DISTRICT. Inspector E. J. Turner, Wairoa, reported that regarding tlx© new find at Hangaroa, he had to say that, in spito of a very careful inspection of that country together with liis sub-inspec-tor, lie had failed t-o find oil© single trace of a rabbit. He had worked the Hon. St. Leger’s country, and also Richardson’s, Spence’s, Hardwick Smiths’, Mosmaxi’s, Berry’s, Butler’s, and iKgreat deal of country from there to the Ruakitnri river. Of course, there was a vast amount of country from Hangaroa to Ruakitnri (of all descriptions), fern, manuka, fallen bush, standing bush, rivers and gorges, which made it a very arduous task to go there for perhaps one or two rabbits. All the settlers gave him every encouragement in the work. Mr Ross'- accompanied him through a great deal of the country. The men had gone over tho whole of the Nuliaka- country, .from the mouth of the Wairoa River to tho M’angaone Valley. On Crispin’s (Clydebank), two rabbits were caught, also two on Pakarae, joining tho two Native blocks, Tereheretau and Tutu-o-tu-kaliu. Tho rabbits were of a halfgrey and white variety and much resembling -those caught at Nuhaka. This country had been worked and reworked, without any further result, but lie intended to keep a man permanently on this country, taking in a little fresh country towards Gisborne, each month. The men on Ruakituri had worked all the country from the Waikaretahaki to the Rualcituri and had found nothing past Boothman’s and Martin’s. On Ins way home from Hangaroa, lie inspected all the old spots where rabbits had been caught and not a trace was found. Ruapapa appeared to bo fairly clean. Moliaka was fairly clean, hut lie in-, tended to do a little poisoning at tho beginning of February. He would revisit Hangaroa at the earliest opportunity.

The Chairman said the report was satisfactory. They seemed to have heard the last of tho Hangaroa scare. Mr Sherratt, inspecting the skin, said that lie was satisfied it was that of a rabbit.

The Chairman said lie was of opinion that the newly-appointed Sub-Ins-pector should be put in charge of tho district from Wairoa to Waikaremoana.

Mr Sherratt said his idea for the future was to thoroughly clear tho country from the Wairoa river to the Ruakitnri, and to erect a fence at the most suitable place. He did not see why the Gisborne end should pay so much towards Wairoa. The Chairman said there would bo difficulty in finding a boundary fence. The boundary should be taken back to the Wairoa-Waikaretahaki rivers.

Mr Holden suggested that the members should go over the country and inspect it, in search for a suitable site.

The Chairman said the only suitable site would cost too much. Tiie Chairman said that another matter was the rigid inspection of pronerties bv the owners themselves.

THE KILLS. The kills for the past two months in the Opoti.ki district numbered 238, made up as follows: Whirimaki 76, Waiohau North 55, Te Tcka 26, Galatea 67, Ruatokei 33. The kills for the Wairoa district totalled 19. Mr Sherratt moved that the Board should keep a staff of men on the northern side of the Wairoa River, to the Waikaretahaki and on to Waikaremonna, the Sub-Inspector, under orders from Inspector Turner, to be in charge. Inspector Turner was granted one month’s leave of absence, as from February 14THE OROTIKI END.

Inspector McGill, reporting from Galatea, said lie had been through the Opotiki district and cou’d find no traces. The Te Teka, Whakatane and Ruata'kei country were almost cleaned out, although there were odd ones here and there, which would take a bit of catching, as the country was nothing but high fern and scrub. The men, ‘however, were doing their best to get the -last of them. Whitiau and Galatea were very clean and also Whirinaki blocks Nos. 1 and 2. The men were all going to the back country, poisoning beginning at Tarawcra on February 1-

The report was considered satisfactory and adopted.