NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5262, 13 April 1928, Page 3

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

GROWTH ON STOP-BANKS.

SETTLERS BLAME GOVERNMENT.

A deputation headed by Mr S. JLaughlin, Netherton, waited on the Minister of Public Works at Paeroa last week and drew ‘hiis, attention to the growth of tall fescue and) noxious .weeds which were making an appearance on the right stop-banks of the, Ohinemuri River below the. Ngahina wharf, Puke. It was stated by Mr Laughlin thatt he weeds .had coma up, and were apparently in the; seed sown by the department after the stop-banks had been constructed. Thq stop-banks, traversed farming land, and the settlers had received no compensation for the loss of tire land anfd damage done. While admitting that the provision of the stop-banks had benefited the; settlers’ properties, he said that unless the growth of tall fescue and gorse was checked the land would in a-few. years be almost worthless. He contended that the farmers had enough difficulty in keeping thejr properties free, of noxious weeds, and they should: not be expected to cope with a menace caused by the department. If the - Govcrnr ment•equid see its way to clean up the areia now 1 , it would effectively check growth and at the same time greatly ease the position for the farmers.

MINISTER NOT FAVOURABLE. In reply to Mr Laughlin the Minister said that he had only a limited amount of money to spread over the whole of the Dominion. Therei wei.e a great many calls for assistance, many of them requiring immediate attention, and. he (had to draw the line somewhere. There was a great possibility that the weed's referred t° wqre actually on the property before the construction of the stop-banks. However, he would have the request looked into, but ha “was not keen on it.”