NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 9

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

MAORI LANDS MENACE.

SETTLEMENT THE SOLUTION.

YELLOW FIELDS OF RAGWORT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Complaining that too little was done in the way of clearing noxious weeds from Maori lands, Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) stated in the House of Representatives to-day that money could well be spent in this direction. Natives would be encouraged to clear their own lands. Along the banks of the Wanganui River and the hinterland there were yellow fields luxuriating in fagwort. This undeveloped Maori laud was a menace, and while natives lived m poor tumbledown habitations it was not fair that the Government should not encourage them to clear their land.

Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) was concerned to know why £3000 should be voted for the extermination of rabbits on native lands. With rabbit skins at the present good prices it was incredible that practically 10 per cent of the native vote should have to be devoted to this matter.

The Hon. Sir Apirana Xgata, Minister of Native Affairs, agreed that £500 was insufficient to clear native lands of noxious weeds. In his opinion a sufficient vote, or nothing at all should be made, and personally he would prefer nothing at all. because in the main it was a question of settlement. Mr. Langstone: But when are we going to net the settlement?

Sir Apirana paid the same thing applied to the item in respect to the extermination of rabbits. As a private member he had always had his suspicions nbout this item of £3000, and he still had his suspicions. He could not be sure whether the £3000 was spent on native lands. Thp vote was controlled entirely by the Agricultural Department.