NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4433, 29 March 1930, Page 2

NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL.

INTERESTING DISIOUSSION BY

RABBIT BOARD,

The proposal that the Manawatu Rabbit Hoard should take over the control of noxious weeds in its area was again discussed at Thursday’s meeting ot the Board, when the Kiwitea Babbit Board wrote tendering information in regard to the proposal ns carried out in that disl rich

Trustee F. C. Kaikes asked if the secretary had ascertained how the Kiwitea Rabbit Board ratepayers liked the idea of the Board taking over the control of noxious weeds as well as rabbits. Thu chairman said lie had seen the chairman of the Kiwitea Rabbit Board in Podding last week and discussed the matter with him. He had intimated that the work was proceeding quite satisfactorily. There had been one or two prosecutions made for non-destruction, but 'these had been conducted by the Government Stock Inspector (Mr. Palmer). The residents of the district were coming into line now, however, and where they had i'i*l been favourable to the proposal at lirst now realised that the Mop was one in the right direction. The work was now proceeding quite smoothly.

Trustee Kaikes said that Inspector Palmer had informed him that lie now had seven Babbit Board Inspectors registered as Noxious Weeds Inspectors working under his direction and the work in all eases was proceeding quite satisfactorily. The matter, said Mr. Kaikes, was one that had received considerable discussion at an executive meeting of the Rabbit Board’s Association held in Feilding recently. Mr. Grant (the newly appointed Stock Inspector) said he had been over a big area in the Kiwitea district last week and could testify as to the good work done in noxious weeds control by the Rabbit Inspector. This was particularly in evidence in regard to blackberry. Ilis own* opinion was that the work should be undertaken by Rpbbit Inspectors as Stock Inspectors did not have suilicient time to go over e\ cry individual farm carefully. That was one mail’s work alone. 'flic chairman: We quite realise that.

Mr. Grant uttered a warning in connection with the spread of ragwort: and Californian thistle in this district. Since lie came to these parts he had been told that Calii aiaii thistle was not a noxious

eed in some counties. Trustee Boswell said the Califor-

. im thistle had been declared a noxious weed, but. Hawke’s Bay farmers had objected on the *;rounds that it was a good winter feed. The chairman said lie understood that tlie stalks of the plant were <!rv iii the winter ami no use for feed.

Mr. Grant said lie hail pointed out Californian thistle to several farmers in the district, and told tln-in to out it out. They had complied Imt said that it was not a noxious weed.

Trustee Boswell considered there was no fear of the thistle spreading in the .Manawatu. When it iirst came into this district he had some mi one portion of his property, but it had since died out. Trustee Kaikes endorsed that epiriion. The chairman said he had had ; alifornian thistle on his property for years and kept it mown down. There were now only a few stragglers mi the property which he treated with salt and he could easily see the end of it now. He did nut think Californian thistle would die uiii in good ground.

Mr. Grant said the South Island people would he very pleased ter have the Californian thistle disappear as simply as members considered it did. Trustee Gloyu said he had tried eradicating the thistle with a spray Imt although it killed the plant to ail appearances suckers came up again. Trustee Bailees said that as the farmers adopted the later methods of grassland farming (he Californian thistle menace would dissolve and lie of lit lie consequence. Now days, he said, farmers were not ploughing the ground to such an extent Imt were holding their paddocks with top dressing. Hay and ensilage was also being made much earlier now in order to get a more nutritions crop with the conseipn'iice that the thistle was cut early and before it reached the flower stage again was killed by the frost. It seldom had to he cut Iwice. It was certainly no menace in these parts but he considered it would he in firopping districts.

After furthur dismission the Board decided to take no action until the matter had been dealt with by (lie conference of Babbit Boards lo be held in June.