RABBIT CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 100, 28 February 1947, Page 8

RABBIT CONTROL

PONGAKAWA BOARD MEETS

The inspector for the Pongakawa Rabbit Board, Mr C. H. Davis, mentioned the following matters in his monthly report:— “We have poisoned 15,300 acres 1.5551bs of phosphorised pollard, and fumigated 22,180 acres, using 1981bs of cyanogas and 2 gallons of carbon bisulphide. Results have been fairly good on the whole. Rabbits taking poison readily in most places, while in some the I’esults have only been fair. These variations are hard to account for. On the scoria country in the Ruawahia and Upper Tarawera areas we have had wonderful results, the rabbits being wiped out over large areas, while the same class of country in the Rotoma and Onepu areas, we are never able to obtain the same results.

“After shifting Pevreal back to the Galatea area from the Whakatane Paper Mills property, we fdund an area of Grant’s in as bad a state as it was in when your board first took over. We had this property in very good order before Pevreal left to work on the Matahina Block. As the rabbits were coming in from the State Forest Lands adjoining and nothing had been done on this area, we have poisoned it ourselves from our boundary up to the bridge crossing the Ngatamawahine stream, and with your board’s consent I propose to keep this area clean, as we cannot keep our grass lands clean in this area while we have badly infested, unimproved lands adjoining, as rabbits will always migrate to the better grass lands.

“During the coming period, Gilliam, who is now on his annual holiday, will work the Paengaroa area on his return. Foreman will continue with the Maniatutu Road area where he is doing a very good job. Vercoe, who has been off work for some time through sickness and a death in his family, will work the the Lakes area. Carson will work the Bush Road, and as soon as he can procure tyres, the Valley Road, Reids, Drabbles and McDougall’s. If he cannot procure tyres for his truck, I will have to shift a man to work this country during March.