NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5487, 14 October 1929, Page 2

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

CONTROL IN PAEROA.

AN INSPECTOR APPOINTED.

At the meeting of the Borough Council on Thursday last the subject of an agricultural inspector for the borough was brought up through a communication from the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, who wrote in answer to the council’s letter of September 20 inquiring as to the jurisdiction of the local Inspector of Stock as an inspector for the purposes of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1928, in so far as the administration of the Act in the Borough of Paeroa was concerned.

The Minister advised that the matter was governed by section 28 of the Act, which empowered borough councils and town boards to appoint inspectors having all the powers of an inspector under the Act within the limits of their respective districts. Sub-section 4 of the same section provided that all sums expended by any borough council or any town board in enforcing the provisions of the Act should be paid out of its district fund, while all fines recovered should be paid into its district fund. Sub-section sof this section provided that the powers of the Agricultural Department’s inspectors in any such district should not be affected or abridged, but no such inspector should exercise any powers or functions within any borough or town district except by the Minister’s direction and after written notice had been given to the borough council or town board, as the case might be. From the foregoing statement of of the position, the letter continued, it would be seen that the intention of Parliament in enacting the provisions of section 28 was that the enforcement of the control of noxious weeds in boroughs and town districts should be left to the local authorities in all ordinary circumstances, thus enabling the departmental officers to devote the whole of their time to the control of weeds on rural lands. In the circumstances, therefore, the Minister said he trusted the council would see its way to appoint an inspector under the Act for the district under its jurisdiction.

Upon the reading of the letter the Mayor, Mr W. Marshall, remarked that it was, pretty clear it was the borough’s job to appoint an agricultural inspector. Cr. H. J. Hare considered that the noxious weeds in the borough should be dealt with, and suggested that the traffic inspector, Mr J. H. McGorquodale should combine the duty of agricultural inspector with that already held by him. - The Mayor stated that if the council started to enforce the noxious weeds regulations everyone must be treated alike.

Cr. E. Edwards suggested that the inspector should report cases of noxious weeds to the borough office, so that a notice could be sent out as due warning.

Cr. F. E. Flatt did not consider it would have any great effect, but thought the council should give it a start. The council had to do it.

It was eventually decided to appoint Mr McCorquodale agricultural inspector for the borough.