MASTERTON RABBIT DISTRICT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 699, 22 February 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON RABBIT DISTRICT.

'4 meeting of the* Trustees of the above district was held-on Saturday, the 19th inst. ' • . .

' T?4'esent-Messi's Stuckey :(Chaimian), Caye, Welch, Hood arid Holmes. • ,

..The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. -: • '• ■■ '

. The' Mowing correspondence" was also read:—

A letter from Colonial- Secretary, stating .that Mr Yaldwyn is -appointed to audit the. accounts of the District.'

JVom Mr Juck, asking for particulars' of account .against him for expenses incurred in killing-rabbits on his property. : Eesolved that the Colonial Secretary be requested to appoint a local ; auditor, owing to tho-inconvonieuco-- arising out of th'edelay in baring the accounts; audited .in .Wellington.';' also that Mr Tuck be supplied with the particulars asked for. The ■Secretary was further instructed to give instructions to sue at once for all arrears' of rates.

Outwards—To Carterton Trustees, with account for expenses incurred in poisoning the banks of the Waingawa (the Secretary reported a prompt settlement of the account); to Messrs Vallance, Donald; Everett, Tuck, Allen, and Mutrie, ro certificates for rabbit dogs; to Colonial Secretary) re appointment of auditor; to Mr Tuck, ro account against' him for Idling rabbits on his land; to Mr E. Wilsone; re eloction of Trustees for ensuing year; to Mr Beard, instructing him to take proceedings against Messrs Clapham and Hare. ■

The Inspector's reports of tho 15th and 19th insts. were then read and-considered, Instructions wore given to the Inspector to take proceedings against the following landowners for neglecting to take efficient steps to'destroy the" rabbits on their property after notice given:;— Messrs H.P.Jones, J. V., Smith, J. Baumber, Paul Anders, Jacob Joseph, Mrs.Moles' agent, and the native' owners, of Akura reserve; and to serve noticesforfhwith'on the late G. Himter's executors and Mr C. Bristowo.: :.',,. , ■ ■ ■■■ ■ •■■

Be, supplies, ; of phosphorus for use dining the coming winter, Messrs Holmes and Cave were authorised, to "make enquiries as to price, and order not more than 4001b of phosphorus, and lOOoz of oil of rhodium,

The landowners' list was then gone through, amended, and signed by the Trustees present, ' An account for £25, for phosphorus purchased from Mr Mawley was passed for payment, The meeting then adjourned till Saturday, the sth of March, at 11 a.m. - •

UrSPECTOB'S REPOBT, The Chairman m «^' 5 > Masterton Babbit Trustees. Sni,—l beg to hand you particulars of

;gsour; of uispectionVßince yourj|st ?Vmk Lower Manaia/ and Te|ji| find the rabbits are kept weU Hinder by the ■ settlors in that : Stirig themselves in killing with.dogs 'and guns. A piece of landowner by the natives, unoccupied, between Messrs i, Eobiesoa W x m > 'ygooI«y ; ial)l)iWon-itseeing well ;huntea,pn:botlf 'sides, ;;this; piece serves as : a" shelter for tliefa.* "'\'": ; _■'_. : -I also 'visited^the^Upper-:pjfcJiOwer Taiieru propei-ties (Messrs -Hadfield, and MoKenzie). Upon both Perry's and'McKenzie'sT find- the rabbits are dacreasing, the. parties hunting and killing, and burning, scrub' and.fern,- &c. ; ,f-their cluef strongholds. Upon-Ha'dfield's run, I find it, too, has put on a new man—the result of .which -isapparent.'' \>) ■ I also visited, the Wangaehti properties Up 1 6nMr'H. : Jones' land- ! the:rabbits are numerous, and To cannot see any steps being taken to destroy; them, f' r . .Upon the ■ neighboring properties I found the .rabbits weU-.hunted, and fe.. are quite scarce.:.'- >.'■? i.-- : . i "'.'"▼■ I : have, also been .over the Opah properties, mcluding Major SmitH's "and Mr Welch's. .Major Smith's land and that leasedto Mr'Baumber.'is over-run with rabbits, no efficient steps being taken to •keep them-down..;.:. ,i'.!..*. '.■ „ ■■••_. , : . Messrs Welch are hunting with a: large pack of dogs, 1 ahd'Mllrng'a;great'many—the decrease being very.marked. Upon the 'properties'of Mr D. McLachkm, W. Day, 1 ' JrMcLachlanrand 0. McLaculan, * find- they are all exerting themselyes.to keep them undeij, . ■• Upon Mr Monisonfrfarm a' "mail is now keptluinting widi dogs'-aiid gun.: i ; ; At tiie'Paii'au (Native land) .{nothing is being done: towards desti'bying the rabbits. '. ' 'Upon'properties.higher 'upj'and owned by Messrs', Jacob Joseph' & CO.; "arid Mrs Moles, nothing whatever has been done to 'destroy., rabbits .where', thej are veiy , numerpusi : ' v.- .■,■.,■; u-i'<^:'}■":

All the settlers' iii tin's quarter are doing theirbest to keep dpwn.the pest, • In the Mild-Mild the rabbits; are very scarce,heing.wellbiu}te'd v - ; 'i - : .:^ •:'' " v-; v ;-■:' • Sißj—l.beg'to-baiuliyou particulars of tost. I have visited '< the. where the rabbits are most numerous, and I find .the.settlers in inpst,cases are exei'iirig themselves to reduce the pest, The properties where..nothing;.is being done are, on those of Hunter and Bristb.we,.situated;on.the;MiMMiki. On the native; lands at Akura np 'steps' are being takenito-destroy the rabbits]'-'-I- visited the properties of Messrs Hadfield, Perry, and : MoKenzie : ,atthe. Taiiera, .whom I find . are doing their best ,to keep 1 ' the rabbits in check. I visited'the'Upper Plain and ■' Fem Ridge,,and; Ifind Ai tliey aa - e well kept .in check.in iliat'jdisl'ict. I find :• Peterkih .is lolling on the Maori gi'oimd'" at ; -Maiapahi.' On the. r Opaki Messrs Everett and McPhee are burning scrub, whichiwill enable them to destroy tho rabbits, '■'- ; 5,;; : .; 0: John Bannister is'also' burning fem at Mokonui, which deskoys the rabbits. On tlio Rangitimiaul find- the rabbits are well hunted with dogs 'and-'giins; .__. In the Forty.Mile Bush the rabbits are •well hunted/"! find Messrs Holmes have '. burnt- large "quantities of scrab and fem on .tbeii'. property adjoining Pairau, the fire destroying a great many rabbits, this. ■ being the only part of then 1 property where . .;' ;'tho rabbits are numerous. " Nothing has yet 'been done on the land •.- owned by Mrs.Moles, and Jacob Joseph ' & Co., on the OpaM. • Brace was engaged by Jacob Joseph k.Cb. to hunt for one ; month.on their, property, his time expir- - ing about two months ago,'-and nothing ' has been done-since,, the rabbits being ; very numerous. TlnVprpperty contributes the rabbits to the^adjoining-propertiesof . McL'eod, Harris, and H: Campbell, who are doing their best to keep.the rabbits under. ,; ■ ■■•. v '.'. Ihaye,&o., ,- ''/'^Hraßy'Bannister, '■"'■'''' ',';.".',' . Inspector;