Nassella

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23716, 14 August 1942, Page 4

Nassella

In his criticism of a recent leading article in "The Press" on nassella tussock control the secretary of the Nassella Tussock Committee makes a statement which, if correct, alters the problem confronting landholders in nassella-infested country. The statement is that the Government has undertaken to deal with the lands more heavily infested. As far as " The Press " is aware, no public announcement of such an undertaking has been made; and until it has been made it would be unwise to assume that the Government has finally committed itself. The other points in Mr McCaskey's statement can be briefly dealt with. The summary of the draft bill supplied to "The Press" indicates that the measures proposed are purely permissive. Ratepayers in areas of not less than 20,000 acres are to be allowed to petition the Government to set up nassella tussock boards in the areas concerned. "The Press" criticised this proposal because it meant that all infested areas would not necessarily be brought within the scope of the scheme and said that the analogy with rabbit boards was unfortunate. Whether the proposed nassella tussock boards model themselves on ordinary rabbit boards or on " killer " rabbit boards does not affect this criticism. " The "Press" has not denied tnat individual rabbit boards have done good work; the point is that the rabbit board system, as a means of dealing with the rabbit problem as a whole, has been ineffective because it operates spasmodically and over restricted areas. A system of permissive nassella tussock boards is opexi to the same objection. Mr McCaskey now says that had "The Press" obtained fuller information it would know that " the committee envisage " a board including ... all affected "areas except the more heavily in- " fested, which the Government will " handle." The question is not what the committee envisages but what the draft bill provides; and it will be noted that Mr McCaskey does not question the accuracy of the summary supplied to "The Press.' 1 There is, it should be added, no in-

consistency between the contention that “ the whole problem of weed “ control ” needs to be put on a proper footing and the contention that nassella should be dealt with under the Noxious Weeds Act. The problem of controlling nassella is only the newest of a number of problems of the same kind. What is wanted is not a new organisation to deal with it alone; it is that the existing organisation should be roused to. deal with it and with the others as well.