NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14428, 19 July 1907, Page 4

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OP LANDS. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, July IS- \ The Minister of Lands made a state* \ ment in regard to noxious weeds last evening. Ho said:—“J realise _ that in the past and at the present time the power which the Government has had to cope with noxious weeds has not been sufficient. As a result the Government has been in the position of taking proceedings against private per.' sons for breaches of the law, while in their own vicinity there have been large areas of Crown lands overrun with the weeds. That must have had a demoralising effect. The matter ha* engaged ray attention for some time, ana I hope to submit proposals at a later date that will enable us to deal with this question systematically. Wo have no right to call upon individuals to struggle with the pests in any districts in which the State has been unable to deal with the weeds on its own land. It is impossible to deal with the whole colony simultaneously, because the revenue of the colouy would! not bo sufficient to meet the cost, but it is possible to deal with different parts of the colony piecemeal, gradually clearing the different districts of noxious weeds. Before the end of tha session I will bring down proposals that I hope will meet the views of tha House and the country. Although tin* will involve a fairly large vote in connection with the supplementary estV mates, it will pave the way for a gret 1 increase in. the productiveness of tfc s country.” ‘ •