MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3530, 28 August 1926, Page 2

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

The following is the Inspector’s (Mr D. R. Barron) report on work carried out in the Manawatu Rabbit district during the past month; During the month I have been engaged in general inspection work and have covered most of the area under the Board’s control. Owing to the heavy rains at the end of last month, the work of rabbit destruction was retarded for some time. Although a fortunate circumstance, arising from these rains, resulted in a certain number of “nests” on the lower country being flooded out, the majority of the rabbit-infected •land is above flood level.

At the present time the district for the most part, is in very good order, and if farmers will do their best from now on, during the breeding season, the pest should-be kept down to a negligible quantity. I can safely say that at present there is well under ten per cent, of the rabbits there were in the district two years ago, though, in some parts of the area, it is impossible to totally eradicate the pest, still there are a great many portions on which, if constant care is taken, the country can be entirely freed from rabbits. I have recommended the group system in certain parts of the district, as wherever this has been carried out, splendid results have been obtained. The main point for fanners to realise is that, although they see perhaps only an odd rabbit or two on their properties, it is the breeding from these few that will cause all the trouble in the future, and unless these are eradicated with the utmost despatch, the work of destruction will be much more costly as the time has now arrived when rabbits cannot be got rid of without the payment of wages. There are certain portions in Board’s area on which rabbits are, at present, too numerous, and particular attention from now on will be paid to these areas as regards inspection, and unless the Act is strictly complied with in regard to those sections of the Act- printed on the back of every statutory notice sent to each settler, I shall be compelled, in justice to the man who is doing his best, to follow up with prosecutions. During the past month I had occasion to prosecute a land owner in the Board’s, area for failing to take the necessary steps to destroy rabbits and the defendant was fined £5 and'costs.