GORSE ON FARM LANDS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 2

GORSE ON FARM LANDS

SHEER NEGLECT BLAMED PENINSULA FARMERS’ VIEWS freading 0 cm some W es ch^.. had to gel that off ny peninE. Hay at a meeting of Ba> * sula farmers a f.° was called day. The meetmg, which was gr%o a \hf*oSfbSfo d Contr n Ol gorse and .° ther C a°to?bury Progress asking the Cameio y GovtS e nt tO cSl la orwVe C d hj r P articularly g °The control of gorse had given Pie three peninsula local bodies were many men who be take steps to control it. it mi s n Impossible to deal with some of the older established patches, but every farmer could at least grub the small £™ s that became established somef;mpc chains away from the m patches. The local bodiesorsomeone have more power to insist tnai d be eradicated. The present sys tem was inadequate to deal with the pest, which was the worst on the peinsula. Local Authorities’ Powers Mr F Coop agreed that more power should be given to the local author - ties so that they could deal with ox ln a CC c“oV: h W Ssosuon is that the three local bodies should employ an | inspector 'specially, for that purpose 1 It would be expensive, but well worth speakers suggested that power to control gorse should be given to the Government rather than to the local bodies, as some members of local bodies' were offenders themselves. Mr F. G. Armstrong said that individual farmers were not always to blame. The public bodies had been neglectful and often infestation of a well -managed farm came from a neighbouring farm. If anything was to be done, it would have to be done comprehensively, and the whole of tne peninsula tackled as one unit. A suggestion that the Government have the grubbing done and charge the cost against each farm, was made by Mr T. Masefield, who said the nniy way of getting rid of gorse was to keep at it systematically. The problem had now got well beyond the powers of the individual to cope with Some country was so heavily infested that nothing could be done about it. and this type of country, generally of little value m any case, should be taken over by the Government and planted in such trees as pinus insignis. “Cannot Afford Cost" “The whole idea of this meeting was to interest the Government in some such scheme as that put forward bj Mr Masefield,” said Mr Coop. We must move along those lines. Many farmers cannot afford the 25 per cent, of the cost that they must pay under the present Government scheme, and if the local bodies forced all farmers to spend money clearing, they would in some cases simply be forcing the farmers off their land. The people of this district must be 100 per cent, behind the scheme. If they are, we will get 100 per cent, assistance.” Some farmers were much mfrre energetic than others, said Mr A. M. Helps. Those who were energetic, and who did not spend all their time at race meetings and sales, could keep their gorse down. “If a farmer can’t keep his land clear, the Government should take it over and plant forest. It is ridiculous to say that farmers can’t keep their gorse down.” Mr Coop said that it was necessary to forget the past altogether and to look at the position as it was at present. It called for radical and urgent action.