MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2802, 25 October 1924, Page 3

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of- the Manawatu Rabbit Board was held in the Board’s office, Boston, on Thursday. Present: Mr B.‘Or. Gower, in (he chair, and Trustees W. E. Barber, Boswell, Grammar, Raikes, MeKelvie, Flemming, Glovn and the Inspector (Mr D. R. Barron). Minutes of the previous meeting were read and confined. CORRESPONDENCE

was read and dealt with as follows: From Mr E. D. Barber and the Principal District Inspector, Department of Agriculture, Wellington. —Resolved on the motion of Trustees Boswell and. Gower, that the matter of attending to the correspondence be left in the hands of the Inspector. Accounts amounting to £7O 3/1 were passed for payment. R ANGITIKEI. RIVER BED LAND. Resolved to leave the question of getting evidence as to the ownership of the said land in (he hands of Trustee MeKelvie and the Inspector. OVERDUE RATES. Resolved to add ten per cent to all overdue rates. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The Inspector reported as follows : “I have now had a personal interview on the property with each farmer whose country is in the Rabbit Board area, with the exception of a small block of country in the north-western part of the district, and also with the exception of those who were away from their properties at the time of my visit. With a certain number of exceptions these farmers realise the great amount of harm at present being done bv rabbits. There are a large number of young rabbits getting a- ■ bout in every part, of the district, and on only three farms in the district is there ail entire absence of rabbits. Tiro of these farms are situated in the vicinity of Pike’s Line and the third one is in the Tikorea dstriet. Rabbits are very numerous at present in the Mangawhata Tikovcn, Glen Oman, Carnarvon, and Makowhai districts, but as in a great majority of cases, they are mostly confined to the ridgy country, it is quite' possible to effectively deal with them wherever there is an absence of cover. I am more than ever convinced that over a large area of country, in fact, on all the country where cover is io a great extent, absent, it is quite possible to entirely eradicate rabbits by means of bi-sulphide, provided Mint each owner of land realises that each must do bis share and keep the rabbits down. On one farm in this district of only a little over 1.0(1 acres, on which the rabbits.have been eradicated (lie owner, during the season after it bad been cleared, took 2,0001b5. more butter-fat from the same herd of eows. This amount of fat at 1/ti per lb. is equal to £l5O, or nearly 30/- per acre per annum more income, and yet within no great distance from (Lis farm there is country which is carrying at least five or six rabbits to (he acre. Tn regard to the gorse and lupin covered country in this district, 1 would suggest that the Board at a biter date, go into the question of netting this class of country off from the clear country, as the only means of clearing such country is by netting there is not the same chance of country. This poor class of land is only providing a breeding ground for rabbits as they feed on the better class of land, and without netting there is not the same ehnne of dealing with them. 1 have impressed upon owners the fact tha t this is the most important time of the year to deal with rabbits, and that they must be prepared to spend a certain amount of money in doing this work. Such work done in dealing with the eradication of rabbits is just: as important as any other work on the farm, although it is hard to get men to realise this, and the excuse generally put forward is that a man is too busy to kill his rabbits. 1 sent out 540 npfiees on the 15th of this nontli, together with a general poisning circular and the regulations izetted by the Board. A number of - armors have got their supplies of •arrets and strychnine and no doubt before the time stated in the

ireula-r expires, each man will have it his requirements for the work, ' iiieli will undoubtedly be success--lif carried out right and in a y stem a tie manner. Unfortunately certain amount of the carrots ob.dined for this poisoning have become unfit and it will be necessary to obtain a further supply if possible. During the coming month, I intend to follow up tli'e notices sent out, by a personal inspection of properties, and see that the man who ip doing liis best to clear his property is protected from the man adjacent to him who will require sterner measures brought to bear upon him. I have made the necessary enquiries in regard to the land adjacent to the Rangitikci River, and am informed by the Lands Department, Wellington, that they are not responsible for the rabbits on this country, from which, I gather, that the owners whose property adjoins the river are responsible. It will be necessary to hold the fumigation demonstration at the beginning of this coming month, and I would like to give a demonstration on Mr Farmer’s property, at Glen Oroua, in addition to those on the properties already mentioned.” The Inspector’s report was adopted.