NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 40, 15 January 1935, Page 7

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

COUNTIES’ GREAT POWERS,

NEW ACT IN OPERATION.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 15.

Four county councils, according to special orders published under the authority of Hon. C. E. Macmillan (Minister of Agriculture), have resolved to put into operation in their areas the extensive powers given them to cope with the noxious weeds problem. There wao a last-moment amendment of the Noxious "Weeds Act passed last session, which gives county councils all the power of the principal Act to deal with the clearance of noxious weeds, and they are authorised also to appoint inspectors to enforce the provisions. Mr Macmillan informed the “Standard’s” correspondent that this legislation was passed at the request of no fewer than 21 county councils who wished to secure more authority to deal with the problem. The four counties which have already passed the resolutions are Waipa, Matamata, and Whakatane, in the North Island, and Buller, in the South Island, and the Minister stated that applications have been received front other counties on the same lines.

“There is to be no lessening of activity on the part of the Department of Agriculture because the counties have increased powers,” remarked the Minister. “The department’s inspectors will continue to exercise their functions, and none of its authority lias decreased through the extension of the legislation. Even if a county lias taken authority under the amended Act to deal with noxious weeds within its area, the department will still take action in the county if, in its opinion, the legislation is not being effectively administered by the local authority.” NEAV PROVISIONS. Unlike most legislation dealing with noxious weeds, the recent measure was passed with very little comment, therefore its provisions may not be widely known. Its main purpose is to enable county councils to assume all the powers of the principal Act in relation to weed eradication, while the law generally was strengthened, the outstanding features of the measure being: (1) To charge the land with the cost of clearing noxious weeds on the default of the occupier to do so. (2) To levy rates on an acreage basis to enable the carrying out of additional functions assumed by local authorities. (3) Generally to amend the Act for the better control of noxious weeds. The greatest menace at present in the North Island is ragwort, against which the only effective specific is sodium chlorate. The Government subsidises the importation of this chemical to the extent of a penny per lb., subject to a requirement that the importer is not to charge the merchant or retailer a higher price than £39 13s 4d per ton, ex ship County councils have tor some time been authorised to purchase and retail the chemical. One of the worst features of ragwort is that, like gorse, its seeds can remain dormant in the ground for up to thirteen Or fourteen years, and then flourish if the land is neglected. . An important change in the law is that the old term “clear” has been amplified to include chemical treatment. Another innovation is that an occupier of land cannot avoid liability to clear it until he is served with a notice. His obligation exists if the weeds are on the land. Mortgagees who are interested in weed-infested land, and who formerly could not interfere so long as interest was paid, are now entitled to take steps to clear weeds, if the mortgagor makes default, and to add the to t he principal secured under the mortgage The maximum rate which Sav he levied by a county council is fid ner acre, and there is provision m the per acre, the burden equitable by'classifying the lands and levying a variable rate. -