Dealing With Noxious Weeds

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 106, 29 January 1935, Page 11

Dealing With Noxious Weeds

Sir, —1 want the people of New Zealand, both in town and country, to realise before, it is too late that this beautiful laud, instead of fulfilling its true destiny and becoming one of the greatest stud stock nurseries in the world, is fast deteriorating into a seed-bed for every noxious weed. Every year that passes without strong, efficient action being taken makes the ultimate task of clearing the weeds harder and more, costly. If we remain asleep just a little longer the weeds will be our landlord, and a cruel taskmaster we will find them. Yet a little common sense and united teamwork would save the situation; surely we can do it.

Our first duty should be to instruct every boy and girl at school to identify and. realise tlie danger of the various noxious weeds, and to teach them the best way to deal with them. The Government should hand over the control of noxious weeds to local bodies. A special rate should be struck for the purpose of eradicating noxious weeds and rabbits, which should be handled in conjunction, the rabbiters acting also as weed inspectors. As rabbiters have to go carefully over the whole country they would, if good, conscientious, smart men were selected, be specially suited to see that noxious weeds were kept down. If this scheme were adopted, before long weeds would disappear. The cost would be roughly about one penny an acre. It is impossible for stock inspectois to carry out this work, as their districts are very large, and they have many' other duties to perform. I may say I am indebted to Mr. B. Sandiiands, of Feilding, for the suggestion of combining the work of rabbiters and noxious weeds inspectors. which he says has worked very successfully in hia district.—l am, etc.. - • G. F. MOORE Kai Iwi, January 26.