MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3797, 26 May 1928, Page 4

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

monthly meeting

The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board was held in the Board’s office on Thursday and was presided over by Tr. B. G. Gower (chairman). Also present were Trs. D. Fleming, R«. Boswell, J. K. McKelvie, F. C. Raikes, J. Gloyn and the secretary (Mr. R. Rangikeuea). Apologies fojr absence were received from Trs. W. E. Barber and T. A. Grammer. A letter was received from the secretary of the Rabbit Boards Association, enclosing report of recent conference held at Feilding. Received. Accounts amounting to £B2 17s 5d were passed for payment. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The inspector (Mr. D. R. Barron) reported as follows: — During the past month I have been engaged in the general inspection of properties in the Board area. The weather, on the whole, has been very suitable for the work of rabbit destruction, the recent rains having put the land in good order for fumigation work, and this is now being carried out in several localities with good results. In one part of the district poisoning with strychnined carrots has taken place with very good results for such an early period of the year. The poisoning in question was spoilt to a certain extent by a number of persons shooting in the locality where the poison was being laid. It would improve matters greatly if shooting in the Board area were forbidden by law during at least certain times of the year as quietness is an essential where rabbits are being baited for poisoning.

The Board area is in very fair order at present although some of the efforts at present being put forward by some landowners are rather spasmodic, and more general work will have to be put in hand during the coming \ynter months. With this end in view, I propose sending out with the usual statutory notices next month, a circular advising a general strychnine poisoning in all "cover” country and a general fumigation with cyanide on all “clear” country. If this is carried out all over the district during the next two months, which are the “off” months of the year as far as the farmer is concerned, there should be a very marked difference in the number of rabbits in the spring. If full advantage is taken at a time of the year when everything is suitable for rabbit destruction it will save farmers an infinite amount of work when the busy spring season comes along. I therefore trust that the advice given will be fully taken advantage of. I will follow up the statutory notices and circulars with personal inspection. —Adopted.