EXPLOSIVE WEED KILLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 130, 5 June 1933, Page 8

EXPLOSIVE WEED KILLERS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l feel certain that the article on sodium chlorate in your issue of May 31 will not> encourage the farming community to use this dangerous weed killer unless under pressure from the authorities. To the busy farmer a weed killer which may explode in its original container if Subjected to a blow; may not be stored in close'proximity with the hundred and one items usually found in the. ■. average farmer's ibuildings; may. not be'left in the open or placed on a wooden floor; cnn be only used Tinder certain conditions and in special containers; is doubly dangdfous to the man who applies it on the farm and to all who may come in contact with it; is liable to impregnate the user's clothing and "mate.him resemble a human match," and necessitates as much careful handling as other, high explosives,. is a problem of greater magnitude than, coping with the actual weeds!. .' .. .■>:/■ . ■ > With many of your readers.l am anxious to; know under which. heading sodium chlorate " is' classified. We have to construct special storage buildings for petrol and explosives by law. Surely the Government has made adequate provision to ensure that the sajne, or similar regulations shall apply to sodium chlorate. And what of the insurance companies—are they, I wonder, giving the matter consideration. Is it not possible for research to examine- other avenues in order to ascertain .the possibilities of utilising other compounds less dangerous to the1 consumer of such.products ? Surely there are brains enough in the Dominion to explore new channels*—especially in the light of recent Dominion-wide_ reports concerning the spread of noxious weeds. If the Government staffs are inadequate to deal with the matter1, why not call for outside help? If the matter is as serious, as Press reports state, and I believej the position is much' worse than we realise, we cannot afford to stand by and see fruitful farm lands becoming weed infested, especially as our sole weapon of defence appears to be a violent high explosive!—l am, etc., '.''.'";. FARMER.