UNCUT BLACKBERRY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 52, 29 February 1944, Page 4

UNCUT BLACKBERRY

PROSECUTION TO STAND

COUNTY COUNCIL'S- DECISION

Whether or not farmers should be prosecuted; for noncompliance with the terms of the Noxious Weeds Act, in these days when labour and materials were at such a premium, was the point of an interesting debate at the meeting of the t Whakatane County Council last Tuesday. Cr Smith referred to a well-,-known Plains farmer whose name appeared on the list, for prosecution, and added that lie felt it was impossible for, the average farmer to control blackberry at the present time. It took him all his time to maintain production. He had himself contacted the farmer concerned and knew of his difficulties. He had several sharcmil'kers who were shorthand.ed and it would be shortsighted 011 the Council's part to harass a man these days. Cr McCracken said lie realised the difficulties but the works committee had decided, to go ahead with its prosecutions in fairness to other farmers, in the vicinity. Cr Burt: Why not put the men on to the work, who were formally employed by the Council 011 ragwort eradication. Cr Ciiw'te added that if one man was let off, all the others would have to be. similarly treated. A late letter from , the farmer concerned contended that he had 1 eradicated as much blackberry as any other on the plains One badly infested patch being no less than 270 acres. If the action of the Council fo'.'ced 1 him to supply labour from his farms, it would haye a very bad effect upon his production. The County Inspector (Mi A. Carling) who was called in at this juncture stated that the farm had some of the most infested drains on the plains which Avere. threatening neighbouring properties. Cr Smith: This man has done more to develop the Rangitaiki than any other. Cr Lux ton: Do you think it neighbourly to allow noxious weeds on your property to threaten your neighbour. I can't see that we should excuse a man simply because he wants to take up other land, and get deeper into the mud because he can't control it all. Cr , M.cCready: What- about the State. It can do 110 wrong and yet we see Crown lands and Government reserves absolutely infested with noxious weeds. Cr Hunter: All 'this talk won't get us anywhere—its the Cornell's duty to stop the spread of blackbcrry and the provisions of tli<> Act force us to do so. The subject was then dropped.