NOXIOUS WEEDS ACT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 9

NOXIOUS WEEDS ACT.

A CHANGE CONTEMPLATED. . lEy Teletraph.—Press Association.! Dunedin, August 3 : A deputation of farmers waited on the Hon. T. Mackenzie.. : this,riionung,.,in regard to the growth of-Canadian thistle on the peninsula. It was stated that Canadian thistle was of value to farmers in the dry seasons because it was eaten by stock. The thistle, however, had got beyond control, and it was difficult to keep it in check. The produce raised on the Peninsula did not contain fodder or seed, so that outside districts could not be contaminated by anything sent out of the district, dairying being the principal inTho y 'Mini6ter said that lie had been gathering a great deal of information about the habits of-this-thistle, and he had other evidence of the :.usefulness of the plant for-fodder purposes-.in certain seasons. He was contemplating an alteration in the Noxious Weeds Act. The first schedule of the' Act contained a list of weeds, the spread of which must bo checked. In the second schedulo there were weeds which, on the resolution of a local body, might be transferred to the first schedule. It was his intention this session to submit legislation to have the Act amended in the direction of allowing certain weeds in the first schedule to bo transferred to the second, thus giving the power of transference by resolution to every local body either way. He contemplated reconsidering the whole question of the Noxious Weeds Act. The administration of the Act was at present extremely difficult. V

A return, was presented to Parliament yesterday .showing tho value of tho land occupied by the university colleges, tho improvements of same, and the value of tho libraries, as follows :— t^ 111! < > o o £ £ £ £ Land ... 1.500 9,591 G. 200 15,020 Improvements 4,000 31,818 43,869 46,000 Libraries 1.650 2.527 1.120 5,500 Word was received last evening in Wellington by Mr. Semple, a representative)' of the Miners' Union, of the death in the No. 2 State coal mine of a miner named M'Cnnn. The fatality was the result of a fall of coal. The deceased was a wellknown miner. - In connection with the progress of tho street-widening operations in Willis btreet, an agreement has been arrived \t between the nVin of Messrs. Shortt, Ltd.? of Willis Street, and tho City Council for tho setting back of Messrs. Shortt/;, furniture hoti*e at the corner of Old Customhouse Street for street-widening purposes. Ihe building, which includes the premises occupied by Mr. Morris, tobacconist, will be set back to the new road-line. Tenders will bo called at onco for tho work, winch will be put in haud immediately. Iho latest scheme will improve very much the entrance to Old Customhouse btrect, which is at present rather dangerous. There will then be lett between Mercer Stieet and Old Customhouse Street only two shops still to be set back. Between Old Customhouse Street- and tho Duke ol Edinburgh Hotel there are some rather old buildings. The main block to tho north of Mercer Street is City.Counc property, but the council is waiting till the expiry of leases before continuing tho widening operations.