MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3017, 30 March 1926, Page 3

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board was held in the Harbour Board’s office yesterday, presided over by the chairman, (Mr. B. G. Gower). There were also present: Messrs AY. E. Barber, T. A. Grammar, J. F. McKclvie, R. Boswell, D. Fleming, F. C. Raikes; J. Gloyn, and the inspector (Mr. Barron) and secretary (Mr. Rangiheuea). Correspondence was read from the Foxton Beach Improvement Committee advising that the Tangimoana Society had been asked to co-operate in the matter of excluding the two townships from the Manawatu Rabbit District.

It was pointed out that the area asked to be excluded at Foxton was about 500 acres and about 300 acres at Tangimoana.

Mr. Barber said it would be unfair to adjoining land holders to exclude these areas from the operations of the Board.

Mr. Fleming said that the Harbour Board at Foxton and Government at Tangimoana would be responsible for the payment of rates on unoccupied land at the localities. The secretary said he had no difficulty in collecting the rate from the Foxton occupiers of sections as it was included in the Harbour notices, but difficulty would be experienced at Tangimoana as he did not have a list of occupiers. The total sum to be collected from both places would be about £l2 per annum.

The chairman stated that he was unaware when a motion was passed to exempt the seaside settlements that so large an area of land was involved. These places could be excluded from the Board’s district if and when they became townships or boroughs. A!s the localities still harboured rabbits they would have to be dealt with as in other parts of the area.

The Board unanimously, approved a motion to rescind a previous resolution to exclude the Manawatu and Tangimoana seaside settlements from the Rabbit Board district and the secretary was instructed to so advise the committees in the respective settlements. It was decided to contribute £2 Os 6d towards defraying cost of conference expenses. Mr. Raikes, who, together with the chairman, represented the Board at the recent conference tabled the remits and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The chairman stated that Mr. Raikes had also been elected a member of the conference executive.

Mr. Raikes submitted the proposed constitution and rules to govern the Rabbit Boards Association. —lt was resolved to defer discussion of same until next meeting. Accounts amounting to £73 14s 8d were passed for payment. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The Inspector’s report was read and received as follows: —During the past month I have been engaged in following up, with personal inspection, the general poisoning advised last month. In the great majority of cases poisoning is now completed, except on some properti ies for which material is not yet available for carrying out strychnine poisoning. The most successful poisoning has been with stryehnined carrots, phosphorised pollard not being very successful this season, except in a few isolated cases, these exceptions being on the “cover” country. On a certain number of properties at present, trapping at burrows and consequent filling in, is being 'carried out with beneficial results, and provided this class of work is carriad out systematically on certain country, and trappers are paid for the work, good results must accrue. Owing to the continued dry weather experienced, breeding has been going on apace, much more than is general at this time of the year, and I would impress upon farmers the necessity for following up this last poisoning, with consistent work, in order to put a check on the increased breeding which has taken place. On country which has been regularly poisoned, and from which trapping has been excluded, the increase in the number of stoats and weasels is very evident, and the destruction of young rabbits by these natural enemies is of immense benefit to the district. I would recommend that a road poisoning, preferably with strychnined carrots, be put in hand from Himatangi to a point below Bamesse. , „ During the coining month I shall be engaged in the general inspection of properties in the Board area.