NOXIOUS WEEDS ACT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 5, 19 January 1915, Page 2

NOXIOUS WEEDS ACT.

County Council's Decision.

At a meeting of tJn Fraaklin County Council, held on Thursday last, a circular letter was read from the President of the Board of Agriculture, asking whether the Council favoured the Noxious Weeds Act bein? enforce! in the County. Tte communication particularly referred to the Californian thistle pest and the writer stated:—Ttohtles can be best dealt with by a very simplj pro'.esi in agricultural dntricts—namely, bj shooting the civings at threshing time S3 as to cover the whola of the thistle. Jn grass country, if fresh grass is cut and thrown upon it to a considerable extent, it is said that this will completely kill the thistle. Merely putting straw upon it Beems to have no etfect, but the cavings and ths grass exclude the air, and therefore the thistle cannot live. Californian thistle ia so general now that it may be wortS while of any farmer in your district to give this treatment a trial. Cr Renall remarked that the writer had hai no practical experience or he would not have indited such "tonyny rot." The only way to kill the thistle was by repeated cuttog. The thistle was spreading all over the County as a result of Che inactivity of th 3 Inspectors. Blackberry and gorse were alsj everywhere in evidence. People asked time after time for the inspectors to be sent round to [deal with the scourge, but nothing was done. The pakeha, on his part, realised the hopelessness of the situation whilst the land of the native was allowed to be overruu with thistle and other weeds. The sooner decisive action was taken the better it would ba fur all settlers. He favoured a committee being set up to deal with the problem and to report to the Council at the next meeting. Cr Lock wood urged that the County should forthwith be brought under the opsrations of the Act. The Government or men that enforced the Act would possibly have a lively time ot it at first, but ten years hence it would be racognised that tbey had done more, good for the county than anyone. Cr Wilcox consigjred that he, probably fc more than any other Councillor, suffered through ths negligence of neighbours. Weeds were not only not attended to by those around him but rabbits were allowed to multiply at their own sweet will, and inspectors were never seen about.

Or Henry thought tbero was no necessity for the setting-up of a committee as suggested by Cr Kenall. It was, he said, for the Council simply to pass a resolution that the Noxiou? Weeds Act should be enforced. Cr Kenall remarked that there were certain clauses in the Act which wete very stringent and would inflict a hardship if rigidly carried out. That was the reason he favoured the apDointnnnt of a committea to consider the situation.

Cr Lcckvtood proposed and Cr " Wilcox seconded, that a reply should be sent to the Board of Agriculture that the Council was of opinion that the Act Bhould be enforced in the County and that the . x . Board should be lequested to / instruct inspectors accordingly. Cr Lyons pointed out that the setting up of a committee would cause a month's delay, whereas corrective measure! should be taken at the earliest possible date. Now was the time lor cutting and such should not be postponed. Cr Wilcox suggested that before any action was taken by the inspector people should be warned by a public notice in the local , paper.

Cr Lyons was of opinion that one or more prosecutions before the Magistrate would have more effect than a newspaper notice, «

Cr Renall withdrew his proposal for the appointment of a committee, saying that he had overlooked the fact, referred to by Cr Lyons, that 1 | the time was now ripe for cutting operations. Cr Lockwuod's resolution was then unanimously adopted, and it was also decided that the Council should set a good example by putting Pts own house in order in the way taking immediate steps to prevent the growth of thistle and otlwr f\ 'j weeds on river bank? and other A-jj public properties, the engineer being instructed accordingly.