OTARIA AND EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1690, 20 May 1884, Page 2

OTARIA AND EAST COAST RABBIT BOARD.

(Prom the Standard),, i: ' ! A meeting of the Committee.; of (the above Board was held on Saturday, at 2 p.m. at the Martinborough Hotel.. The meeting was convened ,^tp .'consider the beat kind of grain for poisoning; the question of fert-et breeding; the use of rabbit netting and traps; enrolment of members; and general." The following gentlemen wcro present Messrs C. Phillips (chairman), McLeod, 0. Harris, Wallace, Smith, C, Tullv, W.'Wratten and G. Wall.

The minutes of last meeting were then read and confirmed. ;'• Mr Phillips informed the meeting that he had received a,telegram frbm MrO. Elgar, informing'ihiin' that Mi\ Levin could sell ferrets toi the rim-* holders at 13s Gd per head. 1 '" ■' • ,; ! Mr 0. Harris questioned- whether it would be advisable to get ferrets at the present time onaccouht of distemper. Mr Phillips said ho had hadjerrets die every year of distemper. In answer to a question Mr Phillips said the ferrets were full grown; He also suggested each person taking ten. apiece, Mr Tally, said he had distemperin his hutches at the present time, but. would gladly-take ten at the end of poisoning time, i'...-- ■■',.'.:

Mr Harris said he would tako ten if he could keep them tlnougli ,the; winter. ■ It was suggested that theppurr r chase of ferrets by this Committee be left over till the poisoning is finished, • Mr Martin then.arrived and iinnW diately took an active part in the proceedings. -'A'"*'! : The following gentlemen applied for,, ferrets, tho number required'-py them being set opposite thoir names':4-Mr Phillips 20; Mr 0. Harris^.;! Mr Tully 10 does; Mr W. Smitli s;;j Mr' Wratten 2 pair. .''.'•''■'- ; On the question being raised ■ as to whether they could get all does, Mr Harris said, he thought they oould get half and half. Mr Phillips thought they got 100 in spring they could get them cheaper. .

Mr Wall said ferrets were worse than rabbits in winter. • . :

lb was resolved "That any land' owner requiring f«rrets send in theii name to any member of the. com mitteo." .'. ,

Mr Phillips suggested writing to Mr Levin to tell breeders in Eiiikoura to hold them over till spring, >, ■, : ..- Mr Martin snidit was a mistake not buying before the poisoning, as pe'rhapV they would not get them so cheaply afterwards. . .■':.' :':'-'4W' : "-'. ' ■'■ l ',~ Mr Tully suggested writing to Mr Levin to knowif'they couldi.beobtained; for the same price in spring. '"' Mr' Martin'said those who'wanted ferrets should take them, at once, and then have the litters in. .spring. He did not see how the ferrets coulo^ ; help getting distemper where'.there'we're dogs about afflicted: with it.'lt distemper was in:the : bntches'.-let them be removed to another place'at ohce, i? J I ;.': It was then That;Mr Phillips .write' to,; Mr Levin;on the matter and report at noxt meeting;"' '•-'• , The enrolment of members was .then

proceeded with. Several present paid their subscription fee ofss. Mr Martin was decidedly of opinion that every settlerin the.districtshould be a member.

• It was resolved—" That each memtier of the committeo obtain definitely the names of those who will join." •io Mr Martin.'-wished to know how far fche';district extended? 7

Mr Tully- suggested taking the Inspector's.boundary. ......., ;; Mr Phillips stated that; all land bwnk's who-cbuld find it convenient to attend,■ should; join the association. Mr Martin was of the samo opinion as Mr Tully as to boundary. It was subsequently agreed- that the boundary districts, should stand over. The question then arose as to the best kind of grain to übb for poisoning. ' Mr Phillips said some preferredfirst class wheat, others second: class, and others used oats. He asked'the committee to decide as to the best.grain to use, and suggested for their, consideration—first wheat and then oats. Messrs Martin and Harris .were of the opinion that good white oats were the best.;. Mr Tully said if wheat were sown in fine weather it dried up quickly. .Resolved, in regard to poisoning—"That the best kind of grain 1 tq'use is the'first 'wheat or first oatg/blackor while." ;';•'-■ •' .■•■- ;■'•

Mr 0. Harris, in reply to a question, said rhodium was good to use in the mixing, : -, ; - •;. ;-.-':';■ ;•'■'"■"■

Mr Martiu said it made a difference of three or four days in poisoning, Mr,W. Smith said he never Baw any difference. •'■■■• '\

Mr Wratten said it made no difference in, had weather. .;

: Mr Phillips said it was a known fact that rhodium attracted rabbits and deadened the smell of the phosphorus, Resolved—" That the use of rhodium •is most .advisable," -.:;■•; '■;; ■Mr ! Phillips, then brought up the question of using a boiler,or cask to to mix the poison. : "■'■■■ ;

Mr Martin said the cask waß the best way of mixing it. ' 'Mr -Wratten that with the boiler a certain amount .of ,steam evaporated and passed away, Mr Harris said they lost a lot of phosphorus in using'the boiler. Resolved-"That a revolving cask is preferable to using the ordinary boiler for mixing'purposes.": With regard to the quantity ofi'rhodiura used, Mr Phillips said he used ono bottle, to overy 100' pounds of grain,' Mi* Tally and" others the same, excepting 'Mr C. Harris, who said lie used a bottle to every 75 pounds. ... Resolved—"That not less than one bottle-be used to every 100 pounds of poisoned grain, as economy in thia direction is inadvisable;";

In reply to a question as to using sugar, Mr C. Harris said that rabbits liked sugar.

MrTully was of the opinion that sugar was intended to keep the grain from getting sour. Mr Martin said sugai' might do no good, but, certainly; it did no harm.

It was next resolved—"That it is most important that; poisoned grain bo laid thirty>six hours "after mixing;" As to using traps or otherwise, Mr Phillips was of opinion that traps should be prohibited as ferrets were sometimes caught in them. . Mr Martin thought it was a question they could not interfere with, ;Mr Phillips said if they wanted to encourage the ferrets the traps must be dispensed with. The following two resolutions were passed upo.i 'lie matter:—"That a. rabbitter with tame ferrets is preferable to the use of trap's, and it is advisable to make our rabbiters use tame ferrets." "That the use of tame ferrets be urged upon the settlers," ■ With regard to contract work, .Mr Martin moved, "That the coramitteo strongly condemn any contract work in connection with. rabbitting, A' 6„ as inadvisable.in any, shape or form.".

Mr Wratten liad intich pleasure in seconding the motion. Mr Tully then moved as an amendment—"That each settler be allowed to use his oyn judgment," Mr Wallace Smith seconded. •Mr Wratten said he had two contractors,whoclid;the work well, but the.others were no good. I Mr Tully said contractors, if ; looked after, will do far more work, and more effectually than any man on wages. Mr Phillips then proposed an adjournment for tea, which was carried unanimously. On resuming, Mr Phillips said that three courses were opon to runholders, viz.:—Contract' worlc altogether, a weekly wage; or. ai he was doing himself) giving.a man small wago3 and so much per skin. He instanced the case of one man in his employ who; was drawing a yory large amount per \veek,

Mr Martin said that if rabbits were well got. down in winter, they could easily be kept down with men and dogs during the snmther. He made a further amendment, as follows;—" That the matter be left over to next meeting and advertised, Mr C. Harris had much pleasure in seconding the amendment, which was • carried. Mr Wratten mentioned, incidentally, that the wild do? nuisance would be nearly as bad as the rabbit nuisance in the course of a short time, a,nd begged to novo "That the dog question bo taken into consideration at next meeting."

Mr 0. Tully seconded the motion, which was subsequently carried.y Besolved, "That a general, meeting of members of the association'be called for this this day four weeks at the samo time and place." ;'■•"' ; . f Mr Phillips' drew attention to a letter which appeared in the Wai;;rarapa Daily,signed by A, McDonald and at the request of Mr Harris tho •'letter .was read, and created ascertain amourit of: comment upon it. JResolved, "With respect A. McDonald's letter to the Wairabapa Daily; the chairman commumcate with Mr Buller, the owner of the. ran therein mentioned, enclosing copy of ; tho i -letter in the Daily, 'together with this reppifc, and obtain that-gentleman's opinion with reference to the effect that the ferreW lave had in clearing away the rabbits oh his run." ' A : vote;ojf thanks to"thVCh^iiwan