WAR ON RABBITS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 42, 13 November 1940, Page 10

WAR ON RABBITS

Extermination Of Pest The Aim

SUBSIDY ON WAGES FOR UNEMPLOYED The adoption of a plait involving the payment ol a wages subsidy in connexion with registered unemployed engaged on the destruction of rabbits was announced last evening by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb. The scheme provides for iocal operation by rabbit boards', approved committees and individual farmers, the workers being paid at award rates and being selected from the registered unemployed except where experienced rabbiters are required as foremen or in specially difficult (high) country. A subsidy of £3/10/- a man-week is to be payable from the funds provided for the promotion of employment.

Launched ou October 1 last, there are at present 251 men employed on a total of "347,000 acres —27,000 in South Canterbury, 95,000 in the Queenstown area. 221.000 in Otago Central, and 4000 acres in other parts of Otago. It is considered that operations under this scheme will result in a tremendous reduction in the number of rabbits by March 31 next, the due date of closing. Air. Webb said that in May last the Employment Department prepared and submitted for expert consideration a plan providing for a concerted and continuous attack on rabbits, with a view to complete elimination. Though expert examination showed that application of this plan presented certain difficulties, a great deal of good was done for it had paved the way to the building up of an alternative plan covering the months following the winter kills. Experimental Plan.

“There are, of course, several agencies used in connexion with rabbit destruction, while there seems to be room for difference of opinion in regard to the method of carrying out any organized destructive drive,” said Mr. Webb. "The present plan is regarded tts mainly experimental, and it is quite conceivable that adjustment of even material alteration will prove desirable as the result of further experience. The Stock and Station Agents’ and Woolbrokers’ Association of Dunedin is keenly interested in the position and has appointed a committee of representatives and eo-opted associates to go fully into the matter and report, upon the present position in regard to the rabbit pest, submitting new proposals or any recommendations for augmentation or alteration of the present measures. The committee arranged for two meetings in Central Otago and its report is expected at any time: on receipt it will be very carefully considered by the departments concerned and by the Government.

“At the end of the present financial year the results of the six' months’ operations will be reviewed, but I am unable to forecast what action will be taken in the event of the expected degree of destruction being achieved or exceeded. It may be asked why my department is interested in rabbit extermination: the answer is that _ the plan offers employment for a considerable number of men taken from the unemployed register. Important, however, as is the destruction of rabbits, it must, be subordinated in wartime to immediate production and therefore the men now engaged on this task will be made available as required for shearing or other necessary farm work."