TALL FESCUE MENACE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5429, 27 May 1929, Page 2

TALL FESCUE MENACE.

DEPARTMENT’S VIEWS STATED. LETTER BEFORE COUNCIL. Mr A. W. Hall, M.P. for Hauraki, has forwarded to the Hauraki'Plains County Council a communicationjfrom the Ministher of Public Worksf with reference to the representations -made to him concerning the menace of tall fescue when he recently visited the Plains. The letter stated that the. question had been referred to the Minister of Agriculture, who had advised that it was not desirable to addtall 1 fescue to the schedule of noxious seed Si-; The matter had been carefully considered on several occasions. The department held that the clearing of this grass was a matter for landowners. - Good farming methods could be employed effective to eradicate tall fescue; and those farmers occupying comparatively clean land could be relied upon to take action in_their own interests and prevent the grass from taking? possession of their farms. As the seeds were not blown any distance, as was the case with thistle, ragwort)? etc., or carried by birds, as in the case of blackberry, the; fact that certain farms were infested with tall fescue did not greatly endanger the adjoining properties.

“He does not understand the position,” was remarked by several councillors:

Cr. Harris said that the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Agriculture, understood the matter better now as the result of his recent visit, and it would be advisable to defer the matter until a reply had been received from him.