FORMING A RABBIT BOARD.

Shannon News, 6 December 1929, Page 2

FORMING A RABBIT BOARD.

COST OF RUNNING MANAWATU BOARD. At last week’s meeting of the Manawatu Rabbit Board, the Secretary submitted the following statistics in anticipation of the Manawatu and, proposed Horowhenua areas being amalgamated: — The annual cost of running the Board is lfd per acre as between the ratepayers and the Government, in other words it costs either party 15/16d per acre to administer the law governing the eradication of the pest. As time wears on the movement in the cost of administration has a downward tendency but this is so slight that it cannot be carried out for any sum below fd per acre unless a cut in salaries is made periodically in which case a pro rata reduction in the rate per acre will assuredly' follow. The foregoing annual cost is obtained by striking the average cost per annum over the period of four years’ operation and to exaggerate the cost on the side of being able to do the work for less money will to my mind place any Board in a "fools’ paradise.” In my opinion the Horowhenua district with an area of, say, 36,000 acres, can be run by this Board for the sum of Ifa per acre over a period of three or four wears after which the rate can be reduced to 15/16 per acre.

The present service is worth £6OO and for an area of 36,000 acres it will prove costly to acquire as the rate will have .to be at least 2d per acre and to buy" a cheaper service in order to keep the rate within due bounds may not be so efficient.

In the event of any amalgamation taking place I would suggest that the Board be at liberty to levy a rate over the Horowhenua area as follows:—

First year .. .. lfd per acre. Second year .. lid per acre. Third year .. .. l|d per acre. Fourth year .. .. Id per, acre. Fifth year and onward 15/16d per acre. 36,000 acres at lfd per acre, £262 10s; subsidy £262 10s, a total of £520. 36,000 acres at per acre, £225; subsidy' £225, a total of £450. 36,000 acres at per acre, £lB7 10s; subsidy £lB7 10s, a total of £375. 36,000 acres at Id per acre, £150; subsidy £l5O, a total of £300." 36,000 acres at 15/16d per acre, £l4O 12s 6d; subsiejy £l4O 12s 6d, a total of £2Bl ss. 85,000 acres at 15/16d per acre, £332 0s 7-id; subsidy £332 0s 7|d, a total of £664 Is 3d. Expenditure:—l92B, £36 13 s lOd: 1927, £634 9s 3d; 1926, £673 4s lid; 1925, £679 14s 4d; a total of £2624 0s 4d, or an average of £656 a year, the Board’s contribution being £328 and Government subsidy £328.