TREE-PLANTING AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Shannon News, 20 July 1923, Page 3

TREE-PLANTING AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.

SUGGESTION TO .COUNTY COUNCIL

At the meeting of the. Horowhenua County 'Council on Saturday, Mr .W. L. Bradfleld waited on. the Council in respect to the question of encouraging settlers to plant, trees as a means of checking'the spread .of noxious weeds. Mr Bradfleld, who was introduced hy Cr. Broadbelt, said that there had been a great increase of .noxious weeds all over this district and throughout the whole country within the last few years.. This applied particularly to ragwort and blackberry, the former of which had now been put on the permanent noxio'uis weeds, list.. Personally he was alarmed at the increase of" this weed in the 1 district, the only, way of dealing with which was by planting or running sheep. Much of this country was dairying land, so that the latter was impracticable, but it was mostly in nooks and comers that ragwort flourished and he suggested that the County Council should stimulate farmers to plant tres 'on these corners, by exempting such planted land from rates. Precedent for this was given by the Government, which exempted land planted in trees from taxes and also, from’death duties. H.e considered it was a 'matter which the County should take up.' and felt sure that other Counties would follow once a lead was given. •In answer to. Councillor Harkness, Mr Bradfleld sid that pines and maicrocarpas’ would be the. most suitable timbers for this purpose. Gums grew too straight ..and without sufficient branches to be of value in smothering noxious, weeds. He had been four yeans in the:.district- and considered that ragwort-had increased four fold in that period. . - . In answer to Cr. Jensen, he did not think that, the danger of fire in a pne plantation wais great, but in any case the Government now had a policy for insurance of plantations agaist fire. The chairman, of the Council, Cr. Monk said that he,,considered the suggestion a good one, and did not doubt that the Council would be prepared tp/.agree to it. He. was convinced that the planting of" pines would soon eradicate, ragwort, and he thanked. Mr Bradfleld for bringing the matter up. The Council would go very carefully into the question, and if it could assist, would 1 be very glad to do so. The question, however, was too big to go into at the -present meeting, and he suggested that it should be held over until next meeting of the Council, When it would he fully dealt with. This -was agreed to, and Mr Bradfleld thanked thei. Council and withdrew.