"DOING NOTHING"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 77, 1 June 1943, Page 5

"DOING NOTHING"

GRAVE RABBIT MENACE

EAST COAST EXAMPLE

A controversy lias developed in Hawke's Bay regarding rabbit destruction, and it is of much interest to the East Coast Rabbit Board in view of the infiltration of rabbits on the , board's soutcrn boundary near Wairoa. The East Coast board has been urging activity over the border in order to reduce the spread of the rabbits to the 'clean Wairoa district. The success of the East. Coast Board has been quoted in Hawke's Bay board to adopt a killing policy instead of one of supervision only. In the Hawke's Bay area the farmers are required to do the killing themselves. Critics of the Hawke's Bay Rabbit Board's policy are to be found in the Hawke's Bay County Council, and in a reply to a letter from the council, Vhicli quoted the East Coast example, the board stated that the East Coast board was formed primarily as a preventive body, and it was considered practically impossible for Hawke's Bay to become a killing board. The letter added that noxious weeds in the country were affording much protective cover for rabbits, and were shielding them from destruction. "Under Our Own Office'" "The Rabbit Board is not doing anything with the rabbits," said Mr INK Horgan. "A number of settlers are genuinely endeavouring to keep their properties free of rabbits, while their neighbours are not doing anything. The inspectors never seem to inspect their country, ancl if they do they do not seem to do anything about it. A man is only wasting Tlis money when his neighbours won't do anything to keep down the rabbits."

"The. rabbits are breeding just as fast, irrespective of the weeds,'* commented Mr C. Lassen. "Mj r remarks about rabbits in the borough of Hastings caused some annoyance, but. they are breeding under our own office building there. On the flats no one is trying to ivcep down the raHjits v Not a rabbitcr is being employed. It is all very well for the Rabbit. Board to say 'wait until the. war is over,' when it will be too late." The clerk, Mr W. J. C'Connell, said that one man with .22 shot had recently shot, over 1000 .rabbits. "The basis for the striking of the rabbit rate is wrong," suggested Mr Lassen. "More, rabbits arc being bred in the orchards than anywhere. The rate should not be on sheep and cattle country only. It. should be uniform," he added. On the motion of Mr Lassen, it was decided to dra:w the, attention of the Rabbit Board to the Herctaunga riding, where no rabbitcr was employed, and also to draw attention to the. levying of the rabbit rate on a universal basis.