RABBIT BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3810, 14 May 1891, Page 2

RABBIT BOARD.

The North Wairarapa Rabbit Board met in the County Council Chambers, yesterday, there being present Messrs W. H. Beetham (Chairman), Maunsell, Murray, Groves, Moore and Inspector Drummood. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, Correspondence. From Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., stating that 104 stoats and 428 weasels had been shipped by the Kaikoura. From same, with extracts from a letter from their London agent with regard to the shipments of stoats and weasels. The cause of the extraordinary mortality was assigned to the heat of the tropics, following on the extreme cold, which resulted in distemper.—lnspector Dr ummond stated that a number of the vermin had djed before leaving the Ibames, and their death could not be attributed to the heat.—lnspector Mackay thought the mortality was due in a great measure to want of cleanliness. —Mr Murray agreed on this point. From Mr J. 8. Uandyside, stating that he had.received and liberated a number of stoats and weasels. From Treasury, forwarding sub-, sidy amounting to £272 8s lid. Finances. Lite Treasurer reported a credit balance at the bank of £784 0s 9d. lhe subsidy due was £250 and £286 was outstanding in rates. An account for £IO2B lis Id from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Ageucy Co. for stoats and weasels was received and a portion (£519) passed for payment. Other accounts amounting in all to £B2 78 4d were passed for ment.

Ferrets. The bonus of five shillings per head for ferrets bred and liberated within the district was extended to ratepayers importing ferrets. Inspector's Report. The report of the Inspector was read as follows : Sir.—l have to report that during the p<ist month I have inspected a large area in the southern portion of the

af district, and am pleased to be able to ie inform you that on nearly all ttr pro* »t pertiea visited the rabbits are well kept j 8 under, especially in the Pahoa country, and I cannot but give it as my opinion e that this satisfactory condition is s largely due to the natural enemy. I o am led to fo»m this opinion by the fact - (hat little or no work in the way of '• hunting with dogs, trappiug or shoot--6 ing ha? been done since last poisoning. q The country referred to is some of the ~ toughest \a the Wuirarapa, and some !, years ago was exceedingly badly iuk f ested with rabbits. I believe cats are t doing a large share of the destruction 8 and f may state I saw a number of b them on JSgaipu, Moerati, and Mr ![ Adams'. Although the rabbits are j few in number the owners of property . are in readiness to poison about the first 3 of June, and I have great hopes if this > work is well carried out, and followed ' up by turning out natural enemies, ( that the pest will be kept within such bounds as to do but . little injury to the pastoral inter- , est. The coast country from the i Pahautanui to the Fahoa river is also yery free from rabbits. In the cen , tral portion of cho district the rabbits | are still tar too numerous, but I ■ trust by judicious steps being taken by the settlers during the next 5 or 6 , months, the pest will be reduced to within reasonable bounds. In the past, sufficient and effective efforts have not been put forth immediately

after poisoning to destroy the rabbits which remain. I hope, however, that with the extra assistance the Board are placing at my disposal, to see that a thorough and systematic plan of following up the poisoning is being carried out, by the destruction of burrows, hunting with small packs oi dogs, ferrets and guns, Mr Inspeotor Smith, who has recently returned from the hottb eastern portion of the district, reports that he observed very few rabbits '6b i the country he traveiled over, I Adverting to the question of poisoning it seeing almost incredible that numbers of settlers are so blind to their own interests that they can uot yet see the economy of nfirkinjr special efforts during the poisoning season, and for a few months afterwards to reduce the pest to the lowest possible limit. I am, strongly oi opinion that a great quantity of tht grain used is not property treated, ano

that in many instances sufficient phosphorus is not used. It is a notable foe"; that on properties where from 10 to 14 Bticks of phosphorus are used instead of 8, the deitruction of the pest has been greatest "Very often too, not enough grain is put down, the conseqnence being that some rabbits get none, and others insufficient to prove fatal. I have known owners pride themselves that all the poisoned grain put down has been taken. This to my mind iB no cause for congratulation, but rather the reverse, for on the face of it it looks as if there was not sufficient for all the rabbits. It-is false economy for the sake of a few bushels of grain and pounds of phosphorus to jeopard- • ise the effect of the poisoning. _ ■ • In accordance with a resolution of

the Board passed on the 11th March last, I have notified all landowners to commenee poisoning not later than +$ the Ist of next month, and also to act simultaneously on such boundaries as are not fenced rabbit proof, or where rivers are not a sufficient barrier to prevent rabbits crossing trpm one property to another. Notice under section 8 of the Rabbit Nuisance Ait of 1882 has also been served on etoh owner. I may state for the ..information of the Board that 200 landowners within tMLrfKbiiit District although only e.'Wm the rate book. -^T A few settlers have amJady com-, menced poisoning, but the work generally will not commence until the first week in June. V' Since my last report a shipment of stoats and weasels arrived pef b.b. Ruapheu. Out of 345 put on' board at London 250 wero taken delivery of here, The loss on tho voyage being 95, The animals delivered were in good condition and wero forwarded without delay to the noitliern part of the district. I must again stale that I think there is not sufficient care exercised in keeping the animals clean during the and ': I attribute tho great mortality in a measure to this. I have written to the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Company.pointing thisoot, and urging that some supervision should be exercised over the care" takers during the voyage to see that cleanliness is enforced. _ _ Another shipment per s.s. Kaikoura > of 104 stoats and 248 weasels left London about the 7th April, and may be expected to arrive shortly. ; These I beg to suggest should be distributed among the following settlers :—Upper Tiueru District—Messrs CockburnHooaVand Walker, J. Miller, Peroy Bros., J. Rutherford, A. Ronton. Tenui District—Messrs R. and F. Maunsell, A. Nickolls, A. Cameron, Elder and Co., J. Cross, and J. Langdon. South Wairarapa District —J. McLeay, J. Drew, D. and P. McLaren, S. Vennell, settlers about Paohuia and Tawnui, Natives at Hine-~g) wakaland Hinana, Nitzand G. Hummer, F. B. Chalmers, H. Dudding, H. Toogood, F. T. Horner. Several settlers expresses discontent at the great loss and expenses incurred in importing the natural enemy, and consider that if the Board continues their, introduction arrangements should be made to only pay for what are actually delivered here in good order and condition. , 'This suggestion simply resolves into- a question of what the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company or other < importers would charge for the risk of so delivering. Many settlers' have a very exaggerated idea of the cost ojE the animals. I found that.lhecost of - eight hundred and seventy three imported by the Board to he £8 2s 2d per head, one half (£1 lis Id) of which comes but of the iat«t. payers' pockets. , Another section of owners are adverse to' the further. . introduction of the animals because they do not immediately ■ see them attacking and destroying the rabbits wholesale. These settlers mast exercise a little patience, and, also ' enquire whether or not they them- ' selves are using the best means to foster the natural enemy, and givo them a fair chaaoe. In order to do this rabbits must in the first place be reduced to a minimum by poison and other quiet methods, and the country' not systematically trapped by contract rabbiters, or hunted with huge packs of dogs, and the destruction of every- ' < thing in i the shape of stoats, weasels, ferrets and cats. Weasels have been - couderohed, because in one or.two ; instances nests Lave been found where they have had young, and no carcases being visible, but only feathers showing that they kill birds. One moment's thought must convince anyonethat an '*£ animal so small as a weasel, cannot drag even a small rabbit to its, nest. On the other hand there have been numerous instances of young rabbits having been killed by them. I have < no hesitation in stating that where rabbits have been once got under, and the natural enemy then turned out on suitable country that good hap resulted, and a great deal of money saved to the settlers, and I feel sura that if proper steps are taken to encourage and foster the natural enemy, the work of rabbit destruction will become a mere bagatelle on a great deal of country in the Wairarapa in the not distant future. The effeot is already appreciable on some of tho very roughest country. lam -& at one with those settlers who think

that the Board should give further encouragement to tho breeding and turning out of ferrets, believing that they will be found most useful on rough dry country. I understand that Mr D. Cameron, of Glenahu, intends to start breeding. — -■ Sutherland has already establishment and has some start breeding with. Mr Andrew informed me thai during April eleven weasels were seen about a stack oa Mr Gollerton'B land at Tenui. Mr T. Horner, of Beaumain, has also seen , them about stacks. Stoats and weaaela have also been observed on Cooper's, Taiber's, and H. Gallraith'a land at Wharau. Mr F. Hale states that Tour stoats, two weasels and six ferrets V were seon at Flat Point Station luring April, and Mr W. .WardeU.! has found two" young"" stoats at To White.—l am, &0,, Taos. Maokay, Inspector. On tho motion of Mr Maunsell seconded by Mr Groves, it was decided that the next meeting of the Board he held on July Bth, and that the Chairman and any two members ot the Board form a Finance Committee to pass and pay aooounts, tho Chairman to convene a separate meeting if considered necessary. It was also decided that all further •«& [ importations of stoats and weasels at present be stopped, excepting those that aro en route and those that are already .collected, in England until instructions from the Board, fhe clerk was instructed to forward this resolution to the manager of the Loan and Mercantile Agenoy Oo.» f and request him to at once forward cable message to their London to that effect. • l^^^^^^^l The meeting then a^jj^^^^^^^H