One Body To Control Weeds And Animal Pests

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 7

One Body To Control Weeds And Animal Pests

"The Press” Special Service NELSON, June 3.

Opinion was sharply divided at the catchment authorities’ annual conference on a Kangitikei remit proposing that the national noxious weeds destruction authority recommended by Agricultural Development Council be amalgamated with the Rabbit Destruction Council from the outset One remit was defeated on a show of hands.

Mr E. H. Simpson, chairman of the Rangitikei catchment board, said the Agricultural Development Council recommended a separate authority in the first instance, but his board saw many advantages in the saving of expensive establishment costs by extending the functions <rf the Rabbit Destruction Council rather than setting up a new authority.

Mr Simpson added that the rabbit council and rabbit boards had got rabbits under control, and a reconstituted and enlarged council could handle both rabbits and noxious weeds. Rabbit inspectors were already covering the whole of New Zealand, and he could see no valid reason for setting up another body to employ more men to go over the same ground. Over-employment already created too many problems, particularly in country areas, without aggravating the position. Dr W. R. Holmes (North Canterbury) said the conference would have achieved

something if it could get a start made towards eliminating duplication of organisations.

Mr C. Lassen (Hawke’s Bay) said rabbits and opossums were all one body could handle. Where would the money come from to finance the inclusion of noxious weeds control in the activities of the Rabbit Destruction Council and rabbit boards? Hawke’s Bay country policed its whole area with two noxious weeds inspectors, and weeds should be left to counties.

Mr Simpson, in reply, said there was no valid reason why a competent body like the Rabbit Destruction Council should not undertake noxious weeds control as an executive function. He was not suggesting that rabbit inspectors should grub noxious weeds, but simply that they should report to an existing council their presence. The alternative was the employment of another set of inspectors to report to an entirely new body.