MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4455, 22 May 1930, Page 2

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit. Board was held in the secretary’s office this afternoon, presided over by Trustee B. G. Gower (chairman). Also present. Trustees F. C. Bailees, T. Grammar, R. Bosweff, AY. E. Barber, B. Grant, R. Rangiheuea (secretary) and D. R. Barron (inspector). CORRESPONDENT 'E was read and dealt with, as follows : From H. G. S. Avery, advising that his property has been sold to Air. A. Bunncister, of Tnikorea. — Received.

From ihe Department of Agriculture, enclosing cheque for £253 8/11 being subsidy on rates collected during the period between January Ist, 1929 and 'March Ist, 1930. The Department however, notified that payment of subsidy on arrears prior to that date, claimed by the Board, was debarred under the Act which provided that no subsidy could he paid on any rates for the year ended Alareh 31st which had been collected after 30th June of that year.—Received.

-From the District Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, enclosing Gazette extracts confirming the appointment of Ah’. B. Grant as a member of the Bear’d. Received. PINA NT' TA L ST A TEAIENT. The financial statement was read and adopted as follows: — Receipts:—’Balance 1/4/30, £ll 11/-t General Rates: Current, £CI 12 10; Arrears, £4 4/3; Penalties, 10/2; Government Subsidy, £253 S/ll: Poisons, £5 fi/-; P. 0.5.8. Withdrawals, £100; a total of £436 13/4.

Payments:—Salaries, £B7 13/4; Printing, Stationery, Advertising, £5 7/fi; Office exes., 3/9; Poisons, £l7 9/2; Inspector’s Phone rent and bureau, £5 1/10; miscellaneous, £(! 1-1/5: Balance 20/5/30, £314 3/8; a total of £43fi 13/8. Accounts amounting to £4B 15/were passed for payment.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The inspector (Air D. R.. Barron) reported as follows: During the past month I have been engaged in general inspection work and in following up with personal inspection those properties whose owners had been written to requesting further rabbit eradication work. The majority of the requests have been acceded to and any owner who had not carried out the work has been finally requested to do so by a certain date. There has been a certain amount of slackness on some properties, whose owners are at present doing nothing until an inspection is carried out and the request for work is consequently made with the result that a fair amount- of breeding- goes on in the meantime. Farmers, must realise that after the receipt of a statutory notice worth must be continuously carried out wherever any sign of the pest is in evidence.

The area is in very fair order al present with the exception of certain properties the condition of which is as stated above.

During the month a ratepayer in the Board area was proceeded against in the Magistrate’s Court for failing to take the necessary steps to destroy rabbits on his property and the Magistrate inflicted a tine of £2 and costs. Owing to certain circumstances a light -penalty was asked for hut in future cases this will not be done and if farmers neglect the work of destroying rabbits on their properties the usual penalty will he asked for. During the coming month I will semi out Hie usual statutory notices required ‘under the Act and I think it would he advisable to scud out also a circular requesting a general slryehuined carrot poisoning mi all “cover” country and a cyanide fumigation on all clear country. For the rest of the month I shall he engaged in general inspection work.