§ 58. Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the serious damage now being caused by rooks, he will, by order or otherwise, empower county war agricultural committees to insist upon the lessening of the rook population?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithYes, Sir. In accordance with the powers conferred on me by Defence Regulation 63, I have made the Rooks Order, 1940, which empowers county war agricultural executive committees, if they are satisfied that the rooks in any rookery are so numerous that they cause, or are likely to cause, injury to crops, to serve on the occupiers concerned an order requiring the reduction of their numbers within a specified period. Failure to comply with the requirements of an order is a punishable offence and, in the event of non-compliance, committees may, without prejudice to any legal proceedings, enter on the land and take the necessary action themselves.
§ Mr. LawsonDoes the same apply to rabbits?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithRabbits have already been dealt with in a satisfactory way.