THE NOXIOUS WEEDS BILL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8535, 15 July 1893, Page 6

THE NOXIOUS WEEDS BILL.

Of all the measures prepared by the present Government for the ostensible purpose of benefiting the farming community, directly and indirectly— perhaps the most unworkable of all is the Bill "to prevent the spread oi noxious weeds." It is difficult to conceive that the framer of the Bill—the Hon. Mr. McKenkie, himself not unacquainted with rural pursuits—could couceive so impracticable a measure, the provisions of which oould not be enforced without creating unnecessary and vexatious interference with the freedom of every farmer in New Zealand from the North Cape to the Bluff. The noxious weeds enumerated are placed under two headings, viz., Schedule A and Schedule B. * And that farmers may the better understand the nature of the Bill, and the kind of supervision it is proposed to inflict upon them, we shall here give the list of plants entered under Schedules A and B as noxious weeds. Schedule A—l Bathurst burr, 2 Noogoora burr, 3 blackberry, 4 broom, 5 gorse, 6 sweetbriar, 7 Californian thistle, 8 giant burdock, and 9 star thistle. We are quite prepared to admit that Nos. 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9 are ab all times and in [ all places noxious weeds, and should be dealt with by drastic measures. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 naay, under certain conditions, be considered as noxious weeds also, and treated accordingly. If the Bill had stopped with these plants, dealing with them.'''only, we might with some alteration have been able to recommend it to the favourable consideration of our farming friends. The inclusion of the following plants under Schedule '$, iahct the proposal to deal with them in the same manner as those in Schedule A, renders this impossible. A perusal of the list of plants enumerated in Schedule B will illustrate this. They comprise piri-piri, burdock, thistles (any species), Bathurst burr, Noogcora burr, blackberry, sweetdog rose, gorse, American cress, ox-eye daisy, Cape weed, Yorkshire fog, penny-royal, fat-hen, docks, including sorrel, ragweed, corn spurry, broom, burr clovers, wild turnip, ergot, clover dodder. To attempt to legislate against any of these weeds, not already provided for under Schedule A would, as we have already stated, be vexatious and unnecessary in the extreme. Yorkshire fog could be

found in every pasture in the colony. This grass is by no means a valueless grass under certain conditions, such as in swamp lands, where it affords a considerable amount ol herbage during the winter months. Then again as regards sorrel—there are thousands of acres of poor, thin, sandy soils which are not capable of producing any kind of pasture except for three months in the early spring, which nevertheless produce a .considerable amount ef sorrel feed, such as it is. Then again there is hogweed. This plant is eagerly sought after by pigs and all kinds of stock, often supplying a large quantity of feed after harvest. We refer,to these weeds to show that they are not unmixed evils. Not that we would advocate their growth from choice. Wild turnip may also be forced to return something in the shape of feed for its keep. Again, these weeds can be kept in subjection by following & judicious course of crop rotation, into which permanent pasture should enter largely. For these reasons we therefore submit that schedule B should be entirely eliminated from this Bill. The case is very different With the plants enumerated under Schedule A. They are for the most part perennials and shrubs, nor have they any feeding value for stock to recommend them. The Bathurat burr has proved a perfect scourge in New South Wales, reducing the price oi wool by 2d and 3d per lb. 'The Cali

fornian thistle has taken complete possession of hundreds of acres of the best farm lands in Southern Tasmania, and bids fair to do so in New Zealand at no distant date. Sweetbriar, gorse, bramble and broom are rapidly spreading in the waste lands, reserves and riverbeds, attd.ou private properties as well, and therefore require legislation to check the growing evil.

Let us now consider some of tho clauses of the Bill, which read in the light Of Schedule B will sufficiently account for our objection to the Bill in its present form. Clause 6 stipulates " that every farmer shall, during the month of November each year, render an accounts of the area of his infected land, and the nature of the weeds upon such land." Clause S— "Every person who knowingly re- (: moves, or causes to be removed, " from any land, or sells or offers for " sale, any hay, straw, chaff, grain, "grass or other seeds, or knowingly " sows any grain or other seeds, in or

" amongst which there there shall be

" contained the seed of thistles, or the " seeds or spores of other plants men- " tioned in Schedule B, is liable to a

" penalty hereinafter provided.'' Here we have a complete and unreserved

quarantine of farm produce—confining it to the farm upon which such produce may be grown. Again, when it is remembered that it requires a microscope of high power to detect the

spores of other plants, what ia to be done to determine these nice questions ? Clause 11 allows Inspectors to enter lands iv search of noxious weeds, and having found some to serve notice

upon tbe wretched farmer. Further, Clause .12 provides that, the Inspector may, in the case of the farmer negleotiug to rid his farm of hog weed, fa* hen, sorrel, &c, lor this is what the

Act contetopUtes-enter upon an*, lands and use such lawful Z>J£Z he may deem necessary f« outtiS weeas at the expense r.f tki wee P dt Clause l 7 * **>** weeds, Clause 17 provides "That shall be cleared by the hxal ««g nty in whose district such hS_» are situate, and not more ■*£_ 'one-half the cost of , Qch cl £J "ing or eradication shall be ra. "funded to the local authority out of any moneys appropriated from time to time ur the purpose by "Parliament." It appears *Ctb2E it is manifestly unfair that local bodies should be charged with any portion of the cost incurred in clear. mg Crown lands, which would prea ruinously on some districts. We have now laid our views before our farming friends, and it is for that* to say whether the Bill in its present form is a fair and equitable one. We have expressed our opinion stronoij upon the measure, and it now remains for farmers to help themselves by appealing to their members to point out to the Government the unworkable nature of the Bill.