Rats or Stoats?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 57, 7 January 1913, Page 2

Rats or Stoats?

I TO THE EDITOR. | Si-.—A little while ago I notice J an item of news in your paper saying that a local poultryman had lost 33 (1 think it was ) young chicktns in one hit. li was said that the ctuse of this was a rat. May I ask if the poultryman is sure it wasn't a stoat? Or ca'i he tell me if he is sure tnat rats carry en wholesale slaughter like this? I am a newcomer and have just lost a clutch of chicks what set me wondering was that I recently saw that a plague of stoats is being experienced. One correspondent to a paper says: "The S3me cry is eveiywhere; chickens and ducks are killeJ by the scores. Native pigeons and pheasantß are becoming scarcer, every year. There is even row on the Statute Book a law protecting the stoat with a fine up to £SO, but it is, ot course, a dead letter, like many other stupid enactments. On my father's farm Bix keepers were paid by Lord Southampton. I have heard them eay that six poachers' guns were not so hard ti dialwith as a pair of stoats as they ran around the ftnees and were cartan death to a y clutch of partridge. Thousands of pounds are spent yearly to keep down tkis vermin. I understand that the hrown ferret was import d. It is a cross between the trui white ferret and the pokcat, a strong and vicious animal that will fly at a man if corner.d. Something should be done by the Government and by sportsmen to rear or protect game from the depredations of this vermin. Every bush ssarma with tt;ei.i, also hawks and rats thit climb t-ees and dest oy young pigeons and eggs. W* farmers do what we can t) thin their ranks, but owing to the scar it\ of labour, cannot afford the time to effectully lessen the evil. Weasels are not so destructive as stoat?. The polecat-ferret prays mostly un mice, young rabbits an i small birds." Can your informant tell me anything more about the matter?.—l am. etc., STOAT.

Town Clock.

["TO THE EDITOR.] Sir.—l sea in Friday's paper that Mr R. F. Webrter is advocating the erection of a clock tower at the Post Office by the Government and the purchase of a clock hy the townspeople. I do not know how much a clock costs, but 1 am certain the money could be speat in a doz?n different ways better for the town and district of Pukckohe. Money is tight a"d the Government is short of funds. Would it not be better to expend tha money required for the building uf the tower on some of the country roads? I think that there are plenty of the Roaa Boards who would be very glad to receive such a sum, and who would put it to far better us 3 than the building of a tower to the Post Office. If the money wai given to the Borough Council it would help them in buying the recreation ground, which is needed far more than the clock tower. Tha recreation ground will need planting and laying out, and if the money which it wculd take to buy the cljck were spent on this purpose the general public would be getting a great d?al better value fur their -lonations—l am, etc., RESIDENT.

♦ Motor Traffic.

| TO THE EDITOR.] Sir,—ln common with many country settlers who hive to handle horses I was pleased to see Mr Nolan draw tha attention of the Franklin County Council to the necessity of making provision in their by-laws for tha control of motor-traffic on the hill and gorge road'. There is also another phase of the question which the Council should consider, and that is the damage that motor cars d j to the roads. It is not only a question of raising dust and of leaving a very unpleasant smell of benzine behind, but of the way they play up with the ruad?. In Victoria this fact is recounsel, a r d m itorists have ta pay taxation fees The following clipping may be of inteiest, and I hope that vou will be able to find space for it:—"The new basis of taxation for motorists in Victoria is as follows: Motor cycles, 5s each; motor cars, not exceeding 6J h.p., £1 1j each; cars from Gh to 12 h.p., £2 2s each; from 12 h.p. to 16 h.p., £3 3s each; trom 16 h.p. to 26 h.p., £4 4s each; 26 h.p. to 33 h.p., £5 5s each; and exceeding 33 h.p., £6 6s each. Motor wagons are to be taxed at £3 3s each. It M estimated that the total amount that will accrue to the Victoria Koad board this year from these taxes will closely approach £20,000, a sum that will pay interest on the £400,000 which is to be sper.t annuity by the Victorian Board for the ntxt five ytars. The new scale of Victorian taxes will amount to about three times that paid n 1912. Tha number of cars in Victoria is 4683. with 3127 motor cycles."-! am, etc. SETTLEK.