N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 22 May 1923, Page 5

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

» TARANAKI PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. The conference was continued in the atterno-n, when the election of officers took place and the discussion on the various remits commenced. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. President: Mr. F e Mills (Tokaora) Nice-presidents: Messrs. A H B Pierce (south) and S. Vickers. Treasurer: Mr. F. Gawith (Tokaora). Committee: Messrs F. S. Tan-nt (Alton), SvJ'tP*,1? (Ma*a P»), -J. Cleaver (Te Roti), R J3 urm (Auroa), T. W. Owen (Hawera) H. A. Sutherland and H Hodge (Alton) F. A. Kuith (Raimata)] HE Batten (Tokaora), J. D. Bashford (Otakeho), P W . Jong (Kakaramea), G. H. Buckendge (Hawera), E. J. Betts (Okaiawa), B. Lawrence (Inglewood), .Si V ?,?seltine (Tokaora). AuditorMr. J. G. Nichol. Delegate to Dominion Executive: Mr. R.^Dunn. DISCUSSION. Omata. Branch—That in view of the serious spread of noxious weeds throughout the country it is imperative that the control of the Noxious Weeds Act be placed in the hands of local authorities, to be administered by them throughout the districts over which they have control, and that such work be subsidised by the Government. It was agreed to combine the two remits from Omata and Auroa, and later Auroa withdrew their remit in favour of the remit from Omata. Mr. S. Vickers- (Omata) said he made no apology for the remit when we see delegates from districts which a short time ago were free are now submitting remits. The weeds, he stated, were introduced by very old residents, such as blackberry and furze, which they planted in their gardens and their hedges. During the war farms were abandoned and weeds grew aoace, so that farms after the war were worse than before. A Noxious Weeds Act was introduced to localise the weeds in a special area. The Act had not helped the settlers nor prevented its spread to other districts. He was surprised to find remits from districts which were formerly clean. He considered the Act was not effective, and unless the control was taken out of the Government's hands no improvements would be effected. Other districts were now being overrun by more weeds, ragwort and Californian thistle. Every second farm had a natch of the thistle, introduced firstly in seeds, probably in liorse feed. The Department was not doing anything like what was necessary to prevent the spread of the noxious weeds. He instanced his own district, where (he found after one year the patch of country was overrun where there had only been a few patches. His district committee had drawn the attention of the Department, and through them some fines were inflicted. Settlers cut out a few, but no good was done, and now the country was in parts a blaze of ragwort. If continued tor five years some farms would have to be abandoned. Those who were doing their best were threatened by the carelessness of their neighbours. He read a letter from the Minister, which stated that economy -was necessary. He said it was better to be driven off by regulations than to be starved out by noxious weeds. He found that the only way to deal with the pest was by bylaws. Endowment sections had been leased without any clause as to clearing, noxious weeds, and it was found later that the sections could not be .eased at even a moderate rental. Now that the clause had been insisted on they were in a good state. A county council had by-laws for wandering stock, dog tax, and registration of m tor vehicles, and they could effectively take charge of the question. Mr. R. Dunn seconded the remit, and asked leave to withdraw his branch's remit in favour of that by Omata. He believed that the areas of districts were too large, and now the smaller areas would tend to efficiency. A council has local knowledge which would be of great use. In reference to thistle, he believed the spread was due mainly to the wind taking &eed from adicining farms. •„ He considered local bodies with local knowledge would be better able to control the pest, but the inspectors should be paid ou.t cf public funds, because the Dominion as a whole reaped the benefit. If a nan on a farm does not do his duty then let him have a severe penalty. Farmers should experiment a bit themselves and give the people the benefit. Weed destroyers would kill anything, but salt would do a great deal, and it used regularly would kiil weeds. He had experimented on Californian thistle, and found gratifying results. Where they were long established aot the same results had been secured. | /Mr. E. J. Betts (Okaiawa) said difference in control was required. He bad seen patches of blackberry in settled areas. i Mr. F. Mills said he was with the motion nearly all the waj, and there should be a change and the control be in the hands of local people. But he thought if in the hands of county councils there was a danger that members i would be slow in forcing neighbours ! and constituents to do work in controlling weeds. Councillors were putin to control roads, and they did it well. The noxious weed question may introduce disagreeable elements, and he was afraid it might come in in this case. He considered a special board was required. He referred back to a former discussion in conference, when a change was necessary,' and on a petition being presented a board should be set up, with a representative of the Government, with the folio wing powers: (a) Classifying the district into (1) ! clean, (2) fair, (3) bad but reclaimable, ard (4) very bad and hopeless; (b) differential rating powers for weed suppression ; (c) to enforce control or eradication of weeds either by owner or holder; (d\ failure to carry out inptrii'tion, work to be carried out at expense of the owner or by rate or tax; (c) to obtain from county council the j taking over of land which is not cleared; (f) board to undertake suppression by afforestation or otherwise. He con- , sidered nothing better had been put forward. A board was best, because councillors were sometimes the worst offenders. i A. Haseltine (Tokaora) agreed some- . thing drastic had to be done., and thought that the Farmers' Union should | , take it «n, and set up a Board to work j with the Department. I John Cleaver (Te Roti) said the I Union had been hammering at the Question and not much had been done. ' Something had to be done, and he venfrired to say that union members were all looking after their lands and those outside were the offenders. He thought they should get the councils to do the work. They must endeavour to get the local bodies to take up the matter He instanced 600 acres near Te Roti where a few years ago there was none, and now it was very bad. He consid- I ©red it essential that drastic action " sould be taken. I B. Rushin (Otakeho) said that the >, right thing was to appoint a man for each district who was prepared to do

his duty for the interests of the rnfp payers. Every offender should b» penalised heavily for not clearing him ftuft. I Every candidate for council efceett let j forced to take it ufi as a dutj or to j put out. i F. Gawith (Tokaora) suggested tita* the Farmers' Union should take Mr the administration of the Act. J. D. Bashfovd (Otakeho) believe* that every councillor should consider it. ji duty, and should inform the dufct of councils. The only solution was to report nil cases. F. Tarrant (Patea) said he was swr something had to be done, and fine* must be made heavier. He referred t* the growth on railway reserves H. A. Sutherland " (Patea) said hm aid not believe in putting the duty •& the council, but in seeing that penalties are made more stringent. H» believed most of the weeds came ox the wind. The Act should he nm rigidly enforced. He considered that it would be preferable to hay« an antes** man. c. A-, ! Wmd (Patea) said that m Southland the difficulty had been sot over by stocking- and subdividing.' lav laranaki, as in other places, mixed farming would be the soluii.pn, but it should have been taken in hand tweat* years ago. F. A. Kurth (Kaimata) said tbm. question had been before the union for some years. The weeds were spreadmeL and something had to be done. Kverv' one must do a little more. He «a* ot the opinion it was doubtful if handU ing over to local bodies would be efctective, or if there would be an improvement. He thought, perhaps, if the Government were stirred up-^mn* could be secured. He would like mo» information as to how it was gome t» be carried out. G. H. Buckeridge (Hawera) said thm matter never seemed.to get any further forward. He believed thati in ls£ there was the greatest opportunity tar overcome the weed. He referred t» the conference between Messrs MaxJ y a^lZ 04*' Owen- Astbury, j££L and Astbury with the Department when a Bill was framed embodying th* resolutions of the conference. S agreed with the President that it wonte be unfair to put this matter on tfc. councils, whose work would be ittpaiw* S> fl° Vwu as an amendment to 8» »1 nut that the proposals made by the cenT ™nc?v m 1918 be averted to it. J^mi (Auroa) explained that hm was in \V elhngton wjien these proposal* were submitted, and that the resSltrf the proposals was that, as no Bill W forthcommg. the proposals weredeadL mufi^a^r. 11^ W« «P**»Mr Vickers (Kaimata), answering the speakers, said the meeting has given him a difficult task. He was, aPe^ i hafc every«ne beUeved something should be done, and that the ActwaS not doing what was required. He regretted a personal etement had bees introduced through the ouestion- of councils representation, and he thouefife there was no reason for this. fife assured the meeting that the counciHo« were independent nlen who did theur duty fearlessly. The inspectors did their work with other troubles, and W saw there was no reason why it shooM. not be so with the noxious weeds, lie matter had been pressed on the eon-' ference and they had to face the noaition. Nothing was-done by the Depart! ment in connection, with weeds until x council had scheduled the noxious weed. Ihe. Department acted in conjunctio. with the councils and did their work other™ well. They had other dutS ■ which took up their time when the nmt~ lous weeds most required attention He maintained that unless the matter were taken up firmly the pest would overcome the farmer. He\xrald not agree with the union taking it no, awl believed it would be worse than iftafcem up by the councils. He considered it » grave mistake to risk setting member against member in the Union whick would cause more ill-feeling 'He di* not know anybody more likely toiw discretion than a county council Wh*rc weeds existed; %^-Must be cleared W proper cultivrfti^-A- aflForestation and by beating the weeds in detail It was the only way, and they could not be beaten by stocking, for it i nst be considered that it was dairying land. they had to deal. with. The kcai bodies would be afoYe to deal more sjm. pathetically and? ' effectually with W menace New weeds were comimr ma» S 6/ dl,st^ ic- ts a\ d the Goverameipt were not doing what they should. B» referred to the soldier settlement il Opunake. and said the settlers coul* not possibly effectively farm the lan^ As the Minister has agreed «hat the councils should confer in regard to tn* pest there was more likelihood oT something being done. ««~w «« ,™? c al?ie.ndn^t was lost, and tt» motion, being %t, was carried. . The conference then adjourned «atifc luesday morning. * —»-»