TREES, NOT WEEDS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3292, 26 July 1943, Page 5

TREES, NOT WEEDS

AFFORESTATION URGED NOXIOUS WEEDS MENACE During a discussion on the control of ragwort at the Piako County Council on Monday, Cr. D. J. Burgess raised the question of county councils using Crown grants on private property which was owned by an indigent owner, and to whom it was becoming a liability. These properties, it was pointed out, very often through lack of finance and labour, were becoming infested with noxious weeds and the authority of a county council to use Crown grants to combat the menace was questioned. An instance of such waste land was quoted at Waiorongomai. It was being held in trust by the Thames High School, but nothing was being done with it and the council considered that the land could be used for afforestation. Cr. Harris, remarked that if other counties were disregarding the regulations and using Crown grants on such land, he saw no reason why the Piako County Council should not follow suit. In any case, the spread of noxious weeds had to 'be prevented and if this land was neglected surrounding properties would soon before affected. Cr. Burgess suggested that the Government should take over waste or idle properties if an agreement could be reached with the owner, and any land which was more suitable for afforestation should be used for that purpose rather than let it become overrun with noxious weeds. On the motion of Crs. Kennedy and (Jrr w it was decided to write to the

Government urging it to negotiate for waste land which had become a liability to an owner, and in order to keep it clear of noxious weeds to vse it for afforestation.