WELLINGTON NEWS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1926, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS

BLACKBERRY BOARDS. (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, November 29. Replying to the New Zealand Farmers’ Union that Blackberry poards, similar to Rabbit 'Boards should be formed, to cope with the blackberry menace, the Minister bf Agriculture (Mr Haw ken) sayS- that both pests present entirely different problems. The annual cost of the destruction of rabbits was comparatively small, but the proposed blackberry boards would need to be vested with extremely heavy rating powers, if they were to be enabled to do any more than the Department is now doing in the matter of weed control. The maximum, rate that could be levied by Rabbit Boards was 1/- an acre, but while many settlers were prepared to pay that amount in order to secure protection of rabbits it was doubtful whether the same settlers w’ould be prepared to sign a petition for the formation of a blackberry board empowered to levy much heavier rates. For .some time past, the Department had been endeavouring to evolve some satisfactory means of control. To that end, an officer had been specially engaged in investigating the blackberry problem. A great deal of useful data had been secured, but until some practical economical method of control had been discovered, the passing of legislation would not lead to the establishment of boards in those districts where control was difficult and expensive. However, he was quite prepared to give careful consideration to any definite proposals which might be placed before him for better control of noxious weeds, either by boards or other means. FERTILISERS COST. Another matter dealt with in his reply was in regard to the cost of fertilisers. Recently, he said, the Agricultural Department had been in communication with manufacturers, merchants and others, engaged in handling fertilisers, with the result that a small reduction in price had been agreed upon. The Government, with the idea of assisting the farming industry, had agreed to a reduction in railway freight by forty per cent on truck loads and 25 per cent on smaller consignments. “Sor far as the manufacturers are concerned," Mr Hawken states, "it is only right 1 should point out that owing to shipping difficulties at the Nauru and Ocean Islands .last season, the British Phosphate Commis siou to meet Dominion requirements had to purchase rock from outside sources at higher rates than ‘hose charged for Nauru rock, but m order to stabilise the price, have arranged that the extra cost be s-p? (, ad over this season’s deliveries. This extra charge is equivalent to 3s a ton, which is being absorbed by the merchants who have also had to meet small increases in other directions in the cost of production.” FOOD PRICES. Several changes in prices of certain food commodities are notified. Sugar has gone up in price while bread has gone down. Sugar has been increased 25/- a ton wholesale, a farthing a pound retail. Bread, on the other hand, has gone down a halfpenny on the two pound loaf. Sugar affects the price of cooked Kods, jams and preserves, but, the sugar rise will not bulk so large in household bills as the fall in the price of bread. Butter went as low as 1/4 a pound. The fall is said to be' in sympathy with the London market, which, during the last few days, had rallied considerably which suggests that it will not be long before New Zealand prices will also show an upward tendency. A grocer stated today that sugar had risen £3 in the last three months, the last increase meaning an additional ninepence on the 70-pound bag. To parallel this increase sugar was increased to 3Jd a pound over the counter. Some people referred to the increase as a world rise, he added, but probably sugar heard the young fruit a-calling. The wholesale price of flour has not yet been officially lowered, but the expected notification in this direction will be made at any day now. Sometimes the cart gets before the horse, said a prominent merchant to-day, but the horse is not very far away.