GORSE PROBLEMS

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1940, Page 3

GORSE PROBLEMS

Clearing Neglected ON BANKS PENINSULA. CHRISTCHURCH, July 31. “It is sheer neglect. A farmer is not fit to have land if he cannot keep down the gorse on it. I am probably treading on some toes, but 1 felt I had to get that off my chest,” said Mr E. Flay at a meeting of Banks Peninsula farmers at Dauvaucheiie yesterday. The meeting, which - was called to consider means of increasing production on the peninsula passed resolutions asking that more power be given to the local bodies to control gorse and other noxious weecis, and asking the Canterbury Progress League to 'formulate a scheme for Government control of weeds; particularly gorse. The control of gorse had given, the three peninsula local bodies a groat deal of trouble, Mr Hay said. Tile problem must be tackled properly or it might- as well be left alone entirely. It was a tragedy to.see good land going into gorse, but unfortunately there, were many, men .wiio simply would not take steps to control it. It might be impossible to deal with some of the older established patches, ■ but -every farmer cdtild at

least grub the small areas that be-

came established sometimes chains away from the main patches. The local bodies, or someone, should have more power to insist that gorse be eradicated. The present system was inadequate to deal' properly with rne pest, which was the worst on the

peninsula. Mr F. Coop agreed that more power should be given to the local authorities so that they could deal with offenders direct, Mr S. S. Barclay: Give_the rabbit inspectors the power. Mr Coop: My suggestion is that the three local, bodies should employ an inspector specially for that purpose. It would be expensive, but well worth it.

Several speakers suggested thirl power to control gorse should ire given to the Government rather than to the local bodies, as some members of local bodies were offenders themselves

Mr F. G. Armstrong said that individual farmers were not always to blame. The public bodies had been neglectful, and often infestation of u well-managed farm came, from a neighbouring farm. If anything was to be done, it .would have to be done comprehensively, and the whole or the peninsula, tackled as one unit. A suggestion that the Government have the grubbing don e and charge the cost against each farm, was mane by Mr T. Masefield, who said the only way of getting rid of gorse was to keep at it systematically. The problem had now got well beyond tmpowers of the individual to cope with. Some country was so heavily infested that nothing could be done about it, and this type of country, generally of little value in any case, should fia taken over by the Government and planted in such trees as pinus msignis. “The whole idea of this meeting was to interest th e Government in somesuch scheme, as that put forward by Mr Masefield,” said Mr Coop. "We must move along those lines. Many farmers cannot afford the 25 per cent, of the cost that they must pay under the present Government scheme, ana if the. local bodies forced all farmers to spend money clearing they would in somn cases simply be forcing the farmers' off their land. The people of this district must be 100 per cent, behind the scheme. If they are, we will get 100 per cent, assistance.”

Some farmers were much more energetic than others, said Mr A. M. Helps. Those who were energetic, and who did not spend al! their time at race meetings and sales, could keep their gorse down. “If a farmer can t keep his land clear, the Government should take it over and plant forest. It is ridiculous to say that farmers can’t keep their gorse down.” Mr Coop said that it was necessary to forget the past altogether and to look at the position as it was at presen. It called for radical and urgent action.