NOXIOUS WEEDS MENACE

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 13 June 1933, Page 8

NOXIOUS WEEDS MENACE

QUESTION OF CONTROL

ELTHAM COUNTY OPINION

Another discussion on the question of noxious weeds and their control, took place a.t the Eltham County Council meeting on Saturday and it was strongly urged that the Government should supply sodium chlorate or an 'equivalent subsidy, if the control was to be placed in the 'hands of the loea. bodies.

The secretary of the North Taranaki Farmers’ Union executive wrote enclosing a resolution that the control of noxious weeds be handed over to the local bodies, with authority to collect any rate required for the purpose, and the Government to subsidise up to the amount of the rate arid of the present Government expenditure. The Minister' of Agriculture wrote advising that the department could not accede to the request to supply sodium chlorate free. The chairman (Mr. A. L. Campbell) questioned the wisdom of a prosecution and the taking of the land as was suggested by tne department. Cr. R. J. Knuckey: I wonder whether some of it is worth taking. The chairman; The Government should take stops to clean up the vacant land, so as to save ‘ the rest. It can be done satisfactorily if the councils get the assistance of the Government inspectors and use the unemployed. It will pay to give the Crown land away. Cr. W. E, Carter: The cost of the work is a difficulty. You are asking men who are trying their level best to cope with the weeds, to do more still. If decent tenants can be secured they should be given the vacant land for five or ten years. I regret very much the Government is unable to give the supplies of chlorate free to the councils. Cr. M. W. Barker said that every ratepayer must be expected to do the work of clearing required. Cr. Knuckey said that if the owner of land, leased to tenants, did not rate charge and supervise the work he should be prosecuted. A councillor suggested that it might be necessary to strike a special rate. Cr. Knuckey: It is all very fine to say “take the land.’’ The settlers cannot clear it now and we have done the best we can. Cr. Carter: The Government has neglected its job. ■ Cr. Knuckey said that if they had started the work of clearing bitten or twenty years ago, they could have coped with it, but now it was almost impossible and. it had become a'together a national question. If stock were uised in the back country, t a oy were very likely to get do ami the gorges and he lost-. Cr. Carter said that a Strarford ratepayer informed him there has. lagwort fourteen feet high in tLn back country. A councillor: It must be good country. Cr, P. R. Brown said that although secondary growth followed the felling of 'bush when the land was neglected, ragwort would still grow in such areas. The chairman: We must express decided objection to local control unless the Government will, supply sodium chlorate or give a subsidy that will cover, the cost. Cr. Knuckey: We have done mote I than our share. It was decided to reply expressing objection to local control unless the Government would supply the sodium I chlorate or an effective subsidy. ,