WORK AT THE CAPE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 103, 18 May 1937, Page 4

WORK AT THE CAPE

Annual Meeting of the Sanctuary Board DAMAGE BY RABBITS In moving tbe adoption of the annual reporfc and balance-sheefc at the annual meeting of the Cape Kidnappers Sane. tuary Board on Friday afternoon, the chairman pointed out that at the commencement of the past year the board had a credit of £23 18/5 and that during the year ended on April 31 it had received £20 13/- in donations and £20 15/2 from ihe collection-boxes at Clifton. On the expenditure side, the board had spent £48 14/- last year in various improvements. The work carried out, he added, had been as follows: Construction of 22 new steps ; eight cliains of fencing surrounding an area of 1 rood 13 perches for a plantation reserve ; erection of a shelter-shed and installation of three tanks with a holding capacity of 600 gallons of water ; general track repairs. "We now end the year with a credit halance of £13," he commented. It was a matter for congratulation, the chairman added, that the board was ablo to accomplish so much during the past year, and this was made possible only by the generosity of the business people of Hastings and Napier, who doiiated sums of money and material, and also by the liberal response of visitors to the Cape. In referring to the plantation area, the chairman said that 60 pinus insignis trees planted last year had been totally destroyed by rabbits and that it was useless to do any more planting uutil the area had been made rabbit-proof. This was a matter that should receivo immediate attention in order that this planting season should not be missed and a beginning could be made with the planting-out of a protection belt of trees and a liedge surrounding tho area. This protection belt needed a two-year start before most varieties Of native trees could be successfully established. He hoped that nurserymen would come lorward and help in this matter with advice and donations of suitable trees.