TEN THOUSAND BONUS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1924, Page 9

TEN THOUSAND BONUS

FOR BLACKBERRY KILLER

OFFER BY GOVERNMENT,

The Government is offering a bonus of £10,000 to anyone who can discover an effective remedy for the eradication of blackberry. .

In making a statement : to this effect yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W.'Nosworthy) stated that the blackberry pest was ono of the problems which was greatily harassing the farming community in many parts of the Dominion; in fact, in some districts it had assumed such large'dimensions that the question of its control had become one really of national importance. For years past the Government has experimented to endeavour to ascertain some efficient, practical, and economical means of eradication, and at present time a rather extensive programme of experimental work is under way, especially in the Wairoa County, in Ilawkes .Bay. The whole question was recently discussed _by Cabinet, and it was decided that, in order to encourage investigation by private individuals, the Government would offer a bonus of not more than £10,000 for an efficient, practical, and economical remedy for the eradication of blackberry other than. by cultivation, farm maangement, or tree-plant-ing methods.| Applicants for the bonus will be required to prove by actual trials before a committee appointed by' the Government that the remedy is fully effective in eradicating blackberry at a cost_ of not more than double that of cutting down the plants to .about ground level: \. "I am rather afraid," istated tho Minister, " that no easy and cheap method will be evolved, but the bonus may be an inducement for a considerable amount of prjvate experimental work being -carried out" which may usefully supplement the work in hand by the Department. I may add that the Department is giving considerable attention to biological methods of control, and is hopeful of securing some natural eriemy that may be the means of at least reducing the spread of the pest. "The blackberry is subject in Europe to infestation by many fungi that are absolutely restricted in their-attacks to that plant. Full arrangements are under way to have all those that aro likely to be of any value tested, and it is possible that some at .least will prove of significance in reducing the pest, though the different climatic conditions here as compared with the colder., weather experienced in. many European countries may have an effect in bringing about varying results."