PURE SEED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 205, 27 August 1912, Page 9

PURE SEED.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMITTEE (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The committee appointed by the Canterbury Provincial Agricultural Conference to make suggestions as to provisions that should be included in any Pure ■-ee.ds Bill has made the following re.comxondations to the Minister of Agricul- ' tire: — "That no seed shall be sold for sowing i.at contains any Californian or Cana- ., <iian thistle, sweet briar, blackberry, dodder, or tritieum repens. "That a seed merchant selling seeds in quantities 0f.51b or over shall be compelled to sea! the bag containing the seed, and mark it with a distinctive mark corresponding to this mark; that he shall furnish a certificate stating percentage of purity, germination and utility, and shall also state the kinds of impurities present in the. seed. I "All merchants selling seed fur sowing j shall seal the bags in some, specified I manner and mark the bags with some distinctive mark. 'Stock inspectors and other authorised persons may take samples in the presence lof a witness of all seeds from bags, still ' closed and sealed, whether these bags are lat stores or railway stations, or, with I the owner's permission, from the buyer's I stores. The inspector may then obtain from the buyer a copy of the seller's certificate in respect of the bags sampled, and send sample and certificate to the Government seed analyst. All such samples must be taken within two I I weeks of the delivery of the seed. The ' j seed analyst shall prepare a table showI ing the seller's name and seller's ceri tificate and the true analysis side by I side. This table shall be published, anil :no action for libel shall lie. I ''The Government shall have power to hold up at any port of entry any imported seed intended for sowing which contains noxious weeds. "The committee also suggests that a clause should be inserted in the Noxious Weeds Act to admit of the fining of any ! person who sells hay. chaff, or fodderj containing seeds of noxious weeds." j