NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1460, 22 May 1905, Page 4

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

At the meeting of the Wairoa Council Cr Brown moved, and Cr Heslop seoonded —That ragwort be added to the first schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act.

The mover stated one of his strongest reasons was that tho counties to the north and south of Wairoa had deolared against this post, and it was absurd for Wairoa to foster it.

Tho chairman quoted an opinion by Mr J. Fletcher, of Marumaru, that the weed was not injurious to sheep,fin fact fattening four sheep to (be acre on it. Cr Heslop preferred to take Mr Gilruth’s opinion, and pointed out that stock kept by him on a certain patch of ragwort died in a short while.

Cr MoKinnon : They were kept there till they did die. Cr Heslop : The law would not let even Mr Gilruth do that. As a matter of fact qho stock wero not starved and did not die poor. Cr Brown stated that on the West Coast farms had to be abaudoned as cattle country. The chairman said he could bear this out. It was a terrible pest to cattle owners, though it did not seem to affect sheep country.

Cr McKinnon : If passed the law would be a dead letter.

Cr Sim : At Tarawera Mr Mackay was fattening bis sheep on it. The motion was then put and carried, tho voting being For : Crs Brown, Davey, Sim nnd Heslop. Against : Crs Mullins and MoKinnon, the chairman and Or Parker not voting. I Cr Brown moved and Cr Davey secconded—That gorse be included in the first schedule of the Noxious Woods Aot.

Cr Heslop said the only fear expressed by opponents was that the inspectors would be barsh ; there was no fear of that; but as long as they let isolated patches of gorse exist they might expect it to be spread by sheep. 1 Or Brown pointed out that as regards Messrs Lindsay Bros, or their successors, all they had to do was to go on as before, and they would not be interfered with. Cr Davey said that in. Wanganui 'district gorse was such a pest that they oould not get men to dear it at £1 a chain. It was the worst thing that could got into light country, and it was the duty of tho Council to put if down. The Counoil then divided. For the motion : The obairman, aud Crs Brown, Davey, Mullins, Parker, and MoKinnon. Against: Cr Sim.—Motion carried.