RABBIT CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 41, 23 October 1946, Page 8

RABBIT CONTROL

PONGAKAWA BOARD MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Pongakawa Rabbit Board took place at Paengaroa recently, those present being Messrs. J. N. Blaymires (chairman), R. F. Black, C. H. Davis and A. H. Jamieson. Apologies for absence were tendered on behalf of Messrs. M. M. McKenzie and D. J. Dennehy. The Secretary stated that he had not received a reply from the Department of Agriculture concerning the seafront petition. The Chairman reported that he had conferred with Mr Denise of the Agriculture Department, Auckland, recently, and he had been advised that this petition and the plan would be forwarded within three weeks. Mr Denise had recommended that the proposed extensions including both the seafront and the Rotorua area, should be finalised at the same time, so that both could be gazetted simultaneously and the one alteration made to both boundaries. Payment of Rates The Secretary reported that he had written to the Department enquiring whether they would pay the rates on Crown land as per the Rate Demand, but he had not received a reply. The Chairman stated that he had discussed this matter also with Mr Denise, who had assured him that the Department would pay these rates on the same basis that they had paid rates to the Reporoa Rabbit Board. It was resolved that the Secretary should write to the Lands and Survey Department again. Administration Costs Correspondence with the North Island Rabbit Boards’ Association suggesting that the Agriculture Department should stand portion of the cost of administration of the Board and particularly that portion which was applicable to work on Crown & Native land, was read together with the North Island Rabbit Boards’ Association’s reply which expressed agreement with the representations made by the Board and stated that the matter would be taken up with the Agriculture Department. Grants and Rates The Secretary was directed to enquire whether the usual Fumigation Grant would be available from the Agriculture Department, as if this were not forthcoming, it would probably be necessary to reduce staff. Unexpended balances of Government grants at 27th September, 1946, were shown to be as follows: Native Land, £275 2s 6d; Crown Land, £137 17s lid; State Forest, £99. The schedule of Rate Arrears was tabled. The total outstanding rates amounted to £2 7s Bd, excluding the current year’s levy. The Secretary reported that rates collected to date for the current year, amounted to,, £1495 out of a total levy of £1874 and that the percentage collected was 80 per cent, compared with 70 per cent, for the previous year. The schedule of actual and estimated expenditure was discussed and the Secretary reported that the expenditure was conforming with the Estimates except that it would probably be necessary to make some reduction in staff in the new yea’’.