CONTROL OF RABBITS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 June 1938, Page 9

CONTROL OF RABBITS

THE CASE FORREST ABLISHING A BOARD. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The suggested Rabbit Board has figured recently in the Press. It was first proposed by some farmers in the Upper Wangaehu and Rangitumau districts, and a meeting was called with owners of approximately 30,000 acres present This meeting decided by 24 votes to 13 in favour of a board. It was the opinion of the meeting that a large block lent itself to more economical working and it was decided to call a further meeting with an area of approximately 120,000 acres. As the Agricultural Department is definitely in favour of rabbit boards, it offered to send an officer to explain the advantages of board control. The Department suggested a larger scheme, with boundaries as follows: — The Tararuas on the west, the sea on the south and east, the boundaries of the Puketoi and Akitio rabbit boards on the north. A motion was carried at the last meeting that all counties interested should be asked for an opinion as to the advisability or otherwise of the larger scheme. As the majority of the county councils have decided against the proposal, the larger scheme is washed out. . Had the original movers imagined the proposals would have developed as they did, the Farmers’ Union would have been consulted. The above should make clear the position as it now is: As to rabbit boards in the Wellington district controlled by the Agricultural Department, there are twenty-one boards, with areas ranging from 13,000 acres to 5,000,000 acres. In Southland, there have been two boards operating for several years. A third board has just been formed and it is probable that within _ the year six more boards will be formed. The East VZaikato Board has been in existence for 14 years. For the quarter ending April, 1938, 1946 rabbits were caught on an area of 146,000 acres. In this area, there was one 400 acre farm off which 6,000 rabbits were taken in one year and 1,000 in the following year. Incidentally, there are ter boards with one secretary in Hamilton. The movers have in the past and can in the future cope with rabbits individually, but they believe that board control is much more effective and economical. We all know that our neighbour’s rabbits are the problem. We can cope with our own, but does the other fellow do his bit? Board control will put us all on the one level. The older settlers have been fighting the pest for 40 years and are still fighting. Are the younger generation to go on fighting with as little hope of success or does board control, with concerted action and expert rabbiters working whole time, offer a solution? We believe it does. Yours etc., A. H. FALLOON.