DIVIDED OPINIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1938, Page 3

DIVIDED OPINIONS

ESTABLISHMENT OF RABBIT BOARD COUNTY COUNCIL DISCUSSION Members of the Masterton County Council are divided in their opinions as to the advisability of establishing a rabbit board in the Wairarapa. When an invitation was received at yesterday’s meeting to appoint delegates to attend a meeting to discuss the proposed board, some councillors considered that the Live Stock Department was efficiently coping with the rabbit nuisance, while others thought that the council should be represented at the meeting to gain further information. Eventually Councillors H. H. Mawley and P. R. Welch were appointed to represent the council.

When the letter of invitation was read, Councillor G. Moore said: “That means more money.”

Councillor J. W. Colquhoun: “And I do not think a rabbit board would do any good.” Councillor Moore: “The department’s inspectors are paid to do the work and from my experience they are doing the job efficiently.” Councillor Gordon Lee: “The onus is on the property owner. Some keep their property clean and others do not. The small man who does should not have to pay for the man who does nothing.” Councillor Colquhoun: “The matter should be left to the individual farmer.” Councillor Moore: “A rabbit board would mean another rate and we have

too many now.” Councillor Mawley: “I do not think there is anything being done about the rabbits. There is no concerted action. The proposal should not be turned down without full consideration. Any rate would have to be a differential one. You could not expect a small farmer with clean land to pay for the destruction of the pests on more or less infected country. That would be most unfair.” Councillor Welch: “There are no rabbits in my district, but I know they bad in some parts.”

Councillor Mawley: “Councill Colquhoun has them all up at Opaki.” Councillor Moore: “The department is coping with the nuisance.” Councillor Lee: “Yes, it is their job.” Councillor Colquhoun: “We are rated enough as it is.” Councillor Mawley: “Even if farmers do comply with the regulations it does not mean that you will get rid of the rabbits. You cannot make them take poison.” The chairman, Mr W. I. Armstrong, said that the rabbit boards were doing excellent work in the South Island, and he favoured the establishment of a board in the Wairarapa. Councillor Colquhoun: “I cannot see any harm in sending delegates to the meeting. They can report back to the council.”

Councillor Mawley: “At the moment we are giving our opinion on something we do not know anything about.” Councillors Mawley and Welch were appointed to represent the council.