RABBITS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 606, 8 February 1921, Page 5

RABBITS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.

ACT TO BE STRINGENTLY ENFORCED. As a result of representations made to the Department of Agriculture by the. Franklin County Council for an additional rabbits and noxious weeds inspector for the FranklinCounty, Messrs Lyons and Munro, representatives of the department, waited on the County Council at its meeting on Thursday with a view of arriving at some satisfactory arrangement.

The chairman (Cr W. Claud Motion) said that hardly a Council meeting passed without a complaint of some sort, about rabbits and noxious weeds being received from ratepayers. In response to representations made, the Council had advocated the appointment of an additional inspector for rabbits and noxious weeds in Franklin. The inspectors, who in the past gave their time solely to the rabbit and noxious weeds pests, were now practically wholly engaged inoculating stock and had no time to give to the other matters and complete the good work they set out to do. He thought, and it was the opinion of the Council, that every farm in the district should be inspected. In some cases rabbit infested areas were inspected and owners notified to poison. He understood it took the inspector from three to four months to inspect the whole couny, and by the time they completed their work in the office another three or four weeks had elapsed and owners had not carried out the terms of the notice. When they inspected again the rabbits were as bad as in the first case, and by this method the nuisance would never he stamped out. The nuisance existed throughout the county and if the rabbits were got down once it would not be difficult in the future. Some places were improving while the rabbits in others were increasing rapidly . The Council thought that if an additional inspector was appointed he could devote most of his time concerning rabbits and noxious weeds. Mr. Lyons said they had got a certain number of men to do the work and they had been placed to the best advantage. If another man was giveh to Franklin every other district in the province would want a similar concession.

Mr Munro said that two years ago reorganisation of the department had liken place, and the Auckland Province had been given 21 men to carry out the field work. The province had been divided into 15 districts and the officers distributed as evenly as possible. The Franklin district included the Franklin. Manukau and a corner of the Raglan counties. In view of the fact that the department had distributed the men to the best advantage, it could not deal with the Franklin County singularly. If any further assistance was given to Franklin other districts would have to be considered. The pest was even greater in other districts than in Franklin. He pointed cut that during the last three years the rabbit pest had been greatly reduced. Inspectors paid six or eight visits to infested areas pleading with the owners of property to exterminate the rabbits. If a reduction could be made with the pleading system, he was sure even greater reduction could be made if the Act was stringently enforced. If they had the support of the Council the department would have no hesitation in taking the necessary steps. Mr. Munro said he did not think the Dominion was justified in going to extra expense in appointing more inspectors to do the woi’k. He was in favour of one or two inspectors, and failing compliance with the inspector’s instructions to do the work, to enforce the Act. For this | they wanted the Council’s support.

Councillors agreed that there was still room for improvement.

I The chairman said the Council wanted a remedy, and informed the deputation that the Council would : support it in its endeavours to exterminate the rabbit and noxious weeds pests. Mr. Munro stated that the inspectors had instructions to enforce the Act sringently and this would be done.

The chairman thanked the officers of the department for attending, and at the same time said the Council was not finding fault with'the department’s work. The Council was always

willing to assist andi would support them in the future.