Kiwitea Rabbit Board Meeting

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7281, 7 October 1933, Page 8

Kiwitea Rabbit Board Meeting

A meeting of the Kiwitea Rabbit Board was held at Kimbolton this week Mr. J. W. Bateiiclar presiding. There were also present Messrs W. L. Brice, A. Lawson, E. A. Palmer, 0. Kroger and T. D. Wood. It was moved and carried that the board views with alarm the increase m the number of rabbits in its area during the current year and requests the farmers to do their utmost to combat the pest during the next few months and that the board's inspectors be instructed to take drastic steps in the mater. ” The statement of rates for the year revealed that Lie amount struck was £485 12s ( Jd and that £72 Ss (id had been paid, leaving a balance outstanding of £ll3 4s 3d. The arrears outstanding at April. 1 was £lsl Os sd, the amount paid being £26 Ss 9d, leaving £124 17s Sd outstanding. The summary of outstanding rates showed the current amount at £413 4s 3d with £124 17s 8d arrears, a total of £538 Is lid. Accounts totalling £l4l 10s 6d were passed for payment. Correspondence was received from the Department of Agriculture, advising payment of subsidy on rates in respect of year 1032-33, collected from 1/4/1933 to 30/6/1933, amounting to £l6 4s lid; and from the Department of Agrieuture, regarding subsidy on rates in respect of the current year, and advising that it will bo necessary to withhold payment of the board’s claim for subsidy on rates collected to August 1 last until all outstandingclaims for the year ended 01/3/1933 have been dealt with.—These letters wero received. Reporting for the months of August and September the inspector for the southern area (Mr. W. J. Dorward) stated: — “Since your last meeting 1 have been engaged in making personal inspections of properties as per diary report. The weather has again during the past two months been particularly favourable for rabbit breeding, with the result that quite a good number oi: young rabbits arc now to do seen, despite the fact that on most of the properties inspected latcdy, more work has been done this spring than for some years past. Al*the same time 1 have not been satisfied with the condition of some of the places where I have found very little if any rabbit destruction work dono for some time past, and if the settlers concerned qo not take

heed of the warnings I_ have given them, I have no alternative than to adviso your board to p.oseeute any 01 all who fail to carry out their obligations in destroying the post. As a help to those settlers who are anxious and wiping to do their best to keep the pe.r.Tli chock I would remind them, that young rabbits will take phosphorised pollard at any time of the year if put within their reach, and by this means together with a systematic fumigation of ail burrows, much can be done to prevent; any great increase of the pest.” The report 'of the inspector for the northern area stated: “Owing to the very favourable weather experienced there are a good few young rabbits about, and property owners in the northern district of the Iviuitca Rabbit Board are warned that they will have to take steps to sec that these rabbits are dealt with. Also as the season for noxious weeds control is approaching, I must ask all those responsible to sec that the respective noxious weeds are not allowed to seed.”—Both reports were adopted.