MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

Shannon News, 31 December 1929, Page 2

MANAWATU RABBIT BOARD.

TO TAKE OVER CONTROL OF RABBITS IN HOROWHENUA DISTRICT.

SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE. Last week the Manawatu Rabbit Board was waited on by a deputation consisting of Messrs S. Jackson, W. Hannan, P. S. Simcox, Hill and M. E. Findlay (Government Stock Inspector), representative of the settlers in the Horowhenua district with a request that the Manawatu Eabbit Board should take over the control of the rabbit pest in the Horowhenua district. Mr Hannan outlined the initial steps taken by. Horowhenua settlers, the calling of a public meeting and the decision to endeavour to link up with the ManaAvatu Eabbit Board and said the deputation had come that day to ask the Board to take over the control of the pest in their district. Mr B. G. Gower (chairman) said the Board had given the proposal a good deal of consideration after it had first been mooted at the previous meeting by Mr Findlay. There was one drawback, however, and that was that the Manawatu Eabbit Board Trustees had v just been elected as representatives on the Board and their term of office was for three years. This would mean that if the Horowhenua district was to be taken into the Manawatu district, Horowhenua would be without representation of the Board for about two and a-half years. Then again, the Government had just brought down legislation reducing the number of Trustees from eight to five and when at aiext election representatives from the southern end came on to the Board it would mean that the representation from the northern end would be greatly reduced and this was not altogether desirable as the Board's district as at present defined was very big arid any lessening of representation would not be deemed advisable.

Mr Hannah said that there was no difficulty as far as they were concerned in the matter raised by the chairman. They fully realised that the Board was already constituted and Avere in no hurry to seek (direct \represtehtation. They had witnessed the successful manner in which the Board had carried out its useful work in the Manawatu and would much rather that they handled the work to be carried out in the south than to be left to form a Board of their own. He suggested that the southern people be allowed to elect two trustees who could attend Manawatu Eabbit Board meetings in a purely advisory capacity. The Board had a grip of the whole work and there was. no advantage to be gained by.direct representation at present. Mr Gower: Legally your representatives would have no voice in the conduct of our meetings.

Mr Findlay said that he understood that the Board was guided to*;a great extent by the report of its inspector. If Horowhenua was taken in _and two trustees, elected they would merely put forward suggestions in a similar manner and members Avould then be able to gain some knowledge of the area they \yere dealing with.

Mr Gower said that the Board's trustees were scattered all over the district and were able to assist the inspector in a great degree. For that reason he could not understand the Government reducing the number of trustees as they served a very useful purpose. ..■■•■«

Mr J. Gloyn said that if the southern district was taken in, the - Board's overhead expenses would become fairly heavy again and it would be necessary to appoint an assistant inspector as their present inspector would not be able to cope with all the work. The southern area would have to be saddled with a .much bigger rate than the Manawatu to start with. It would be ■beter for them to collect their own rate.

Mr Findlay said that the formation of a separate board in the south and the appointment of an assistant inspector under the present Manawatu inspector would not comply with the Act as when the Manawatu inspector was in the southern area his expenses would have to be charged up to the Horowlienua Board",: The aim of the southern people was to reduce overhead expenses and the Department's aim was to form bigger boards. Some of the Rabbit Boards had already amalgamated and on the East Coast there was a Board' controlling millions of acres with only five members.

Mr W. E. Barber considered the proposition placed before the meeting by the Horowhenua settlers a good thing. There were only one or two details to overcome and he thought if two representatives from Horowlienua attended Board meetings in an advisory capacity in the meantime it would meet the case. They would have no power to vote but they would get their work carried out just the same as if they were representatives of the Manawatu district.

Mr S. Jackson: If you allow us to come in on that understanding we will be just as satisfied as if we had direct representation. The main question will be the rate to be struck.

Mr Barber: You (will spend your own money. A special rate will have to be struck, but by good work this will seoon be reduced to a minimum. You will be rated according to your effort.

The secretary submitted figures in connection with the Manawatu Board's activities which showed that it would be advisable to strike a rate of 2d per acre for the first year in th*e new area.

The chairman said that Avas what had happened in the Manawatu district. A 2d rate had been struck which gave them a surplus of £6OO. This had been placed at fixed deposit and the rate was now down to £d and the surplus being used to make up any difference. The Manawatu Board's area, however, comprised 86,000 acres.* Mr Jackson said the Horowhenua

■ : ■ ... ~ i --"lF*^ district had not yet been defined but it was estimated to comprise about 43,000 aeres. ■ Mr Findlay said that figure included the borough of Otaki. Deducting that and excluding areas of ten acres and less" the /district would comprise 30,000 acres. Eabbits were not nearly so bad in the district as they had been in the Manawatu and the rate might possibly be reduced on that score. He suggested that if the Board accepted the new area that a part time inspector be put on under the present inspector. The country was fairly clear and for the most part could be done by car. There was a small area of undivided Native land in the district but there was a special provision in the Act providing that the Crown had to pay for rabbit destruction work carried out there. There would be 130 ratepayers in the new area. NOXIOUS WEEDS NEXT.

Mr F. C. Raikes suggested as an alternative to the Board taking the new area in that they undertake the control of noxious weeds. The rate at present being imposed on the farmers was not hard and instead of reducing it by slightly enlarging the district by' taking in the Horowhenua area he.would sooner see the'noxious weeds taken in hand. Somebody would have to take the matter up sooner or later and why not the Babbit Board which now held the confidence of the farmers and would see that no hardship was imposed. It would be far better than letting some other body step in.

Mr Barber considered the Board would be better able to handle the control of noxious weeds than another body. The chairman said the Manawatu Babbit Board had pushed the Manawatu County Council into having lupin declared a noxious weed owing to it providing so much cover for rabbits.

At. this stage the Board decided 'to discuss the amalgamation proposal in committee and thanked the deputation for attending the meeting. Afer a further fliscugsion /it was unanimously decided to extend the Board's boundary to the Otaki Biver and to take in the Horowhenua district as defined by the Horowhenua settlers for the purpose of rabbit eradication. The next steps will be taken by the Horowhenua settlers and it is understood that rabbit destruction work under the Board will be commenced earlv next winter.