NOXIOUS SEEDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6625, 15 September 1908, Page 3

NOXIOUS SEEDS

IMPORTERS AND A GOVERNMENT BILL. THE PARMER’S RESPONSIBILITY.

The new Government measure seeking to prevent the sale, importation, or distribution of agricultural produce which mav contain certain diseases or noxious seeds, ha* caused a good deal of concern to grain merchants, and it seems probable, from tho Hon. R. McNabs remarks to a deputation yesterday, that several amendments will bo made st> that the measure will become more workable. Mr F. H. B. Fifchor introduced tho deputation. Mr Uoorge Shintcl’ifte, speaking for Messrs A. S. Paterson and Co., said tho Agricultural Produce Sale Importation iiill as it passed the Lower House would operate very unfairly on fc-eed importer*. No mattSr what precautions were taken, it was absolutely impossible to ensure that there was not a trace of California thistle in a line of seeds. It was much more difficult to ascertain the purity of seoxls than the quality of dairy produce or tho purity of artificial manures, for in the latter case they had a te*t which gave positive results, while in regard to seeds, they might sample twelve sacks, finding them clean, but have tho whole consignment condemned because the Agricultural Department discovered impurities in the thirteenth sack. Importers should havd the right to rc-cloan seeds. The deputation wished that tho passing of the measure through the Legislative Council should bo postponed for a few days so that the suggestions of dealers and importers could bo obtained. The Hon. R. McNab : Would it meet your case if you could place your viwws before the Agricultural and Stock Committee of the UppCr House? Mr Shirtcliffc: Yes, I think that would do admirably. Tii© Minister - added that some clause allowing re-clcaning of seeds might be inserted in the Bill. THE CARELESS FARMER. Mr A. H. Miles (Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co.), said the deputation wanted to be protected against tho fanner who sold his oats, chaff, and grass seed in districts where they knew California thistle abounded. Out of a hundred sacks of ryo grass, ninety-five might bo absolutely free, but some farmefts were not honest enough to keep back the four or five sacks of "seconds.” What the Minister suggested in regard to ing would be a great saving clause. Mr Gibbons (Messrs H. C. Gibbons and. Co.), advocated tho proposal that re-cleaning of condemned seeds should be permitted.

The* Hon. R. McNab remarked that it would meet tho deputation’s case if he arranged to send the Bill to tho Agricultural Committee of the Upper House, and gave a promise that it would not conic on before) Friday. That would enable them to put forward a workable scheme. He could arrange that anything on the water could be exempt. He realised what had been said in regard to the farmer. The Bill would always be incomplete and uneven in its operation unless in regard to New Zealand produce the responsibility was placed on the grower, A farmer saw a patch of California thistle in his paddock, and could avoid it, but he passed the reaper over it, and the thistle entered the whole the' seed. Probably the deputation might have seen that the Government had spent about £SOO in the Taranaki district within the last few days to prevent the distribution of chaff containing California thistle. The Govern-, mnnt might bo able to submit to the Upper House a modification which might make the Bill workable; in fact ho had informed certain merchants and the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce that amendments would, be submitted.