SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1919, Page 6

SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS.

NEED FOR DRASTIC ACTION. The urgent need for taking steps to check the spread of noxious weeds was stressed by Mr. J. B. Simpson, a member of the Moa Road Board, at the meeting of that body at Ingiewood on Saturday. He said that Ingiewood was one of the finest dariying districts of the North Island, and it was going to be absolutely ruined unless drastic steps were taken to eradicate ragwort, ox-eye daisy and blackberry. He had recently visited property on the Norfolk Road over which he understood a Minister of the Crown had a lien, and its state was an eye-opener to him, and would be to anyone that visited it. There were large clumps of blackberry W) to 15 feet high, a chain through and several chains round, which had never been touched for years. In between were smaller clumps tree or four feet high and between these again ragwort. Drastic action was necessary and he thought that the Road Board, which was aspiring to County powers, should certainly interest itself in the matter. It was no use leaving it to the inspectors, as they had not sufficient powers. They should lay the position before the authorities, and, if necessary, go to Parliament. On his road the settlers with one exception chased the blackberry like a dog chases a hare, and it was hard that settlers who were trying to keep their places clean should yearly find fresh seedlings. Places that were not looked after should be overlooked by the authorities and before commencing to seed the plants should be cut. Settlers should not sit still and allow their_ lands to be subject to the ravages of "blackberry. If they delayed action until the blackberry got into the rough land about Tarata it ifrould mean considerable loss of production, irrespective of the time taken up in clearing them. He also referred to a system which enabled a section devoted to dairying to be gsazed on, when it recieived no attention, with the result that where there was no blackberry or ragwort the farm was one sheet of ragwort, and when the wind blew the" seed spread over the properties on the opposite side of the road. The present system of weed inspection was rotten. Power should be giverfto local bodies to have the work done It was useless saying labor was not available, because the settlers in their own interests would be prepared to find the labor to clear a dirty farm. In fact, he knew of one case where some settlers had offered to do so, but were only offered Is per hour. If it cost 5s per hour it should be faced. Mr. Simpson then moved a series of motions in terms of his speech. The chairman suggested that it should be put in ' as a notice of motion, and dealt with fully at a special meeting, as it was an important subject. Mr. Lyon congratulated Mr. Simpson on bringing the matter forward. It was most important in the interests of the dairy farmer that the spread should be checked before it was too late. Already the production had decreased. The depreciation on land value due to the weeds could be put down at half a million, and each year the cost of eradication ran into millions. Mr. Todd said that Ingiewood was -the first to move in the matter, and as the result of a meeting in Ingiewood 20 years ago Messrs. Brown and Morton were sent to Wellington and inspectors were appoited. They must be careful not to be too drastic, as it was impossible to clear blackberry until the land was stumped and the plough could be got in. Mr. Simpson said the flowers could be cut. Mr. Todd: They flower when we are harvesting or busy otherwise. Mr. Simpson said that the legitimate farmer needed protection. He agreed to give notice of motion, and the matter will be thrashed out at nest meeting.