Maori weeds vex Akaroa council

Press, 26 February 1977, Page 4

Maori weeds vex Akaroa council

! An infestation of noxious ! weeds on some blocks of Maori land at Akaroa is worrying the Akaroa County Council. After doing all they can under the Noxious Weeds Act. councillors say they have got nowhere, and the' weeds are growing stronger ever day. Although some of the affected blocks are quite small, the problem is complicated by some being unoccupied. Added to this, on others the Maori Trustee is agent for the owners, — in one case 93 of them for one small piece of land. The council sought advice on the matter from the Department of Maori Affairs, and the Christchurch district officer (Mr A. N. F. Harris), and his assistant (Mr D. L. Sparrow), attended the council meeting yesterday. They explained ways in which the council could consider tackling the problem. Mr Harris said there was no way in which the department could voluntarily get ! involved in helping the ! council, but under recent i legislation rhe Maori Land Court could, in the case of unleased land, invest the land in the Maori Trustee The council could then dea' with the weeds and charge the trustee. The chairman (Mr T. J. Brocherie) said the area was surrounded by clean fertile farmland, and the council

i must view the problem se- ' riousiy. Cr A. J. Boleyn, chairman of the local weeds authority: We don’t want to upset the Maori people, we just want to get rid of the weeds. ! The council decided to disicuss the matter with its ! noxious weeds inspector, ■and decide on a course of laction. I Community council I ! The council has decided ■'not to support the Horoiwhenua County Council in a irnove to persuade the Government to ammend the ■ Local Government Act, 1974 to allow absentee ratepayers to sit on, and vote for community councils. A letter from Horowhenua . said that the new legislation . was tantamount to taxation , without representation, and ! should be changed. Mr Brocherie said he agreed with the legislation, that those in permanent residence should run the iarea through the community :i council. All ratepayers were represented on the county ! | council. >, Crs W. S. Mcßae and Cr .! Boleyn said that all ratelipayers should vote and have • la chance to stand, whether I they were in permanent resi- . idence or not. Some ab,’sentees are very able busii nessmen, said Cr Mcßae. II A motion to support the

Horowhenua move was lost three votes to four. Mussel issue At a meeting on Thursday evening, the council's harbour committee decided that the council’s objection to marine farming should stand until the control situation was clarified. “Mussel farming is onlyone aspect of the harbour," said Cr Mcßae. “What we want are submissions from all the organisations interested in the harbour. When we have these we will examine them, because this! harbour situation is a wider! issue than we thought.” ’