WAR ON WEEDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 7

WAR ON WEEDS

GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY TACKLING THE PROBLEM Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A statement on the noxious weeds problem was made by the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, in the House today. Mr. Forbes stated that very serious consideration was being- given to the question of how to deal most effectively with noxious weeds. Departmental officers were active in their endeavours to get noxious weeds properly dealt with on lands newly infested or lands where the clearing of weeds was within the financial capability 'of settlers. Other badly infested lands were being dealt -with in the best way possible in the circumstances. The question whether a satisfactory form of local control could be established was being explored, but it was doubtful whether further legislation regarding noxious weeds could be brought down during the present session. ENFORCING THE LAW Mr. Forbes said the Government could not be expected to undertake alone the whole task of coping with the noxious weeds problem. The cooperation of owners of property would be necessary. So far as the department was concerned, it was doing its utmost to see that the law relating to noxious weeds was carried out. Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) said he hoped the Minister would reconsider the position, and bring forward during the present session some scheme to assist in facing this admittedly serious problem. Mr. Forbes said some members had urged more rigid enforcement of the law, and had suggested that more prosecutions should be made. Prosecutions had not helped to solve the problem. What was required was the wholehearted co-operation of the farmers. The Government could not do much unless the farmers realised the seriousness of the position. Many of them did, but unfortunately there were others who allowed the weeds to spread. CO-OPERATION NEEDED The Minister Instanced the rabbit boards as a successful check on the rabbit pest, and stated that if similar boards were set up to deal with noxious weeds the problem would be solved. Everything was being done by the department, but the co-operation of the farmers was required. He had assured deputations of farmers that the Government was prepared to even grant financial assistance to boards, but no definite move had been made to establish such bodies. Sir George Hunter though that in a matter of the kind the lead should come from the Government. Mr. Forbes: The farmers own the land. “Yes, and the Government occupies the Treasury benches,” said Sir George. “We look to them to remedy the evil. The position is not satisfactory—it is serious.” The Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, expressed the opinion that biological control was the only way in which the problem could be solved. He paid a tribute to the work being done in that direction at the Cawthron Institute.