WAITUNA RABBIT COMMITTEE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 9038, 30 December 1907, Page 8

WAITUNA RABBIT COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the committee was held on Saturday afternoon, Mr S. J. Carman in the chair. The secretary reported as follows: —The rabbit question was taken up seriously by the farmers of this district in August 1905. A committee was formed aud then we influenced other centres to form . committees to take active measures against the pest. I think seven such were formed, hut most of them took little interest, aud with the exception of Kimholton and ourselves, all are now defunct. At the end of July last year we got 801hs of pollard poison aud distributed to all who would take it. At that time also it was decided to make a levy of Is per 100 acres on all farmers within our boundary to pay for expenses of poison and of any other means that it was thought advisable to use for the destruction of the rabbits. Circulars were printed and sent out to 107 persons of whom only 33 responded aud paid. In July of this year it was decided by the County Council, the Kimholton Committee aud ourselves to have a day for poisoning throughout the county. About 80 lbs of pollard was procured by us in 8 tins of 101 b each. These were sent to the care of members in different localities for distribution, but the settlers seemed so indifferent that only a very small portion was applied for. Tliis brings us up to the present day and the question now is: as a committee are we any use, and is it advantageous to continue as such? The receipts had amounted to £l7 3s and expenditure £lO 3s 6d, leaving a credit balance of £6 19s 6d. The report was adopted. The chairman, Mr Carman, asked the meeting to accept his resignation. He did so because he thought the committee had not been backed up by the Agricultural Department as it should have been. Personally lie had been abused right aud left aud had beeu accused of informing the inspector that rabbits were increasing on certain properties. He had done nothing of the kind. Nor had the committee been backed up by the property owners. As a matter of fact rabbits were increasing in the district, particularly on the lauds of absentee owners. He had been told so, not only by persons in different parts of the district, hut also by an inspector. Amongst the inspectors there was one who was dilatory as regards his duties. While travelling to Kimholton last Saturday he had seen twelve hares aud seven rabbits on the Forest road. The County Conncil was willing to purchase poison and deliver it free of charge it there was a certainty of its being utilised. Mr Hair was of the opinion that what poisoning had been done had been most effective and it would be a mistake for the committee to dis solve as the chairman seemed tojsuggest. Mr W. McDougall said the poisoning had decreased rabbits on his place. Mr Williamson asked whether the rabbits would take poisoned pollard when there was plenty of green feed about. Mr Short said they would take aniseed any time of the year. He had found a large number of dead rabbits down by the river after using poisoned pollard. As the meeting refused to accept the resignation of the chairman, he consented to continue to held the office. Mr Pearce was elected secretary in place of Mr MacLennau, who had to resign through leaving on a trip to Europe. It was resolved that the chairman arrange with the Kimholton Committee as soon as possible a day for simultaneous poisoning of rabbits.