NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 308, 3 October 1929, Page 8

NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL.

FORMATION OF BOARDS. The suggestion that local boards should be formed to take over the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act is analysed in the annual report of the Department of Agriculture presented to Parliament last week.

The report admits that the suggestion possesses a good "deal of merit in that, if adopted, local knowledge and local effort would be applied *to local conditions. If given effect to it would mean that the Government would have to pay a considerable subsidy, though, as an offset its own expenditure upon inspection would largely disappear and be limited to some overseeing responsibilities. At the present time county councils possess powers enabling them to deal with noxious weeds (and in a few cases, by arrangement with the department, they are co-operating in noxious weeds control). Hence a county council could undertake the duties which the advocates of noxious weeds boards consider should be carried out by the boards. “ The control of noxious weeds constitutes a difficult and sometimes unpleasant responsibility,” the report adds, “ and consequently the undertaking of it can hardly be expected at first sight to appeal favourably to establish country authorities, notwithstanding the fact that, having regard to the value of local effort in this direction, it would be a valuable forward step. Failing the establishment of localised control, some system of cp-operation between the Department and county councils, or alternately, local noxious weeds boards, would be of distinct advantage, if not involving too great expenditure.”