IS LUPIN A NOXIOUS GROWTH?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2986, 14 January 1926, Page 3

IS LUPIN A NOXIOUS GROWTH?

DISCUSSED BY MANAWATU COUNTY.

The Manawatu County Council discussed at Tuesday’s meeting the question as to whether lupin should be declared a noxious weed.

Councillors Barber and Boyce moved a resolution in the form of a special order. Prior to the consideration of this resolution, a letter was received from the Manawatu Rabbit Board, requesting the Council to put lupins on the list, in order to help in the eradication of the rabbit nuisance. Opposed to this request was the letter from the Foxton Beach Improvement committee, which the Council : seriously to consider the question before taking such drastic action, as to prohibit lupins would seriously affect the afforestation schemes being carried out along the West Coast of the Wellington province. Lupins afforded great protection to the young trees which were being planted to reclaim the sand dunes. Councillor J. McKelvie produced a document having to do with the lease of some Crown property, which he held and which contained the following schedule: “Special condition: Bonuses of the amounts mentioned below will be paid on the certificate of some person appointed by the Lands Department to the effect that the licensee has successfully planted marram grass, lupin, or suitable trees and shrubs to be approved and fenced off and protected from stock, such areas on his run, the position of which shall first be aproved —viz., £2/10/per acre for marram grass £l/10/per acre for lupins and £4 for suitable forest trees and shrubs to be approved of .... A proportionate reduction in rent will be made in case of any licensee over any area of his run which he may be successful in planting and fencing off as aforesaid.” This document had to do with the disposal of the following pastoral runs by license: Wairoa, Ikitara, Kaitiata and Sandy Survey Districts, and particularly the Sandy Survey District, which is in the Manawatu County. The date of the offering of these licenses was February 28, 1908. Messrs J. Linklater M.P., and N. C. Nairn waited on the Council on behalf of the Foxton Beach Improvement Society, in support of ■ the view that the Council should not declare lupins a noxious plant. Mr. Linklater said that the ground for the protest was that lupins afforded great protection to the afforestation work which was being carried out on the sand dunes. He suggested that if the Council declared lupins a noxious plant, the prohibition should not apply to the sand dune area.

Mr. Nairn expressed the opinion that there was no doubt as to the value of lupins in the sand dunes and it would be sheer folly to root the plant out. The Beach Improvement committee had resolved to help the afforestation scheme all it could and the committee reolised from experience that the lupins were a valuable aid to this work. It was realised that the lupin was a cover for rabbits —in fact all trees and shrubs afforded similar cover and if the Council decided Jo ban lupins on account of rabbits, then it would have to extend its edict to other plants.

After the deputation had withCouncillor Boyce could not see any objection to declaring lupins a noxious weed, from the point of view of the roads. It was becoming a serious nuisance and was spreading over good country. Councillor Fagan declared the matter originated with the Rabbit Board and the Council was viewing it in the light of keeping the roads clear. The ratepayers had not asked that lupins be declared a noxious weed and he was not in favour of the proposal. Great difficulties were seen ahead by Cr. Barber with regard to the spread of lupin. He considered it no more arbitrary to prohibit lupin than to prohibit gorse. There was no objection to the growing of lupin in the sandy country, but it was becoming a menace to the good land.

Councillor Boyce remarked that the Council need not enforce the edict where lupin was doing good. The County Clerk pointed out that once lupin was declared a noxious weed it would not be within the jurisdiction of the Council to place anything in the way of its eradication.

Councillor Barber suggested that the Council might take a legal opinion on the question whether the lupin could be declared a noxious weed on a road-way only. A further suggestion was made that the Council serve notice on ratepayers to clear all lupin fronting their property on a roadway and take a test case against anyone failing to clear the growth. Councillor Boyce: “Who are you going to get to make the test case against?” The chairman: “Oh we shall find someone.”

After further consideration, Councillors Barber and Boyce agreed to withdraw their resolution in favour of a notice and if necessary, a test case, to decide the Council’s powers respecting the limiting of the area in which lupins can be declared a noxious weed.

A Wianganui traffic inspector, who returned from a visit to Raetihi, Waimarino and Ohakune on New Year’s Eve, stated to a “Herald” representative that as a result of his tour some £4OO will be added to the local bodies funds for heavy traffic fees.