BLACKBERRY PEST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16074, 10 March 1923, Page 8

BLACKBERRY PEST.

COUNTY COUNCILS TO BE

REFERRED TO’.

The Poverty Bay, executive of the Farmers’ l T nion this afternoon discussed matters appertaining to the blackberry pest. m Dr. Reakes*, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, wrote on the subject ns under: ‘T am in receipt of your letter of the 14th 'inst., and with regard to that portion Si it deal ing with blackberry I will confer with the Director of the Live Stock Division regarding tlie resolution of your executive relating to ass'stance *to the present inspector in dealing with noxious weedk, and arrange that advice be sent to you at an early date." “With'regard £o query as tp whether any legal power exists to prevent t tuna fe of blackberries, the position is that such power does not exist, 'the Noxious Weeds Act prohibits the sale of blackberry seed, and at firsi sight, he thought that the sale of ripe, fruit .containing the seeds might conic within the'provisions of this Act, but- as you will note from reading section seven i 1 is evident that the intention of the Act was-to deal with the sale of seed as seed, with a view to pre-yen ting it being deliberately sown in the- ordinary way for reproducing tho plant. To .conic on to the' general qni-stiou of noxious weed control, the suggestion of establishing blackberry boards or noxious weeds boards in localised areas bus been furthei* tK&ufeeed of late,: and! the position as regards this is now as'follows: To give effect to the proposal it would be necessary to pass legislation amending the Noxious i Weeds Act, and this could' not be done at the earliest until tho session which will start some time in the winter, and there is no certainty at present as to whether this legislation would be denlt with this year. A movement has lately taken place in the direction of existing local authorities taking over' the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act, in their districts, and one County Council and some Borough Councils have already done so. do far as County Councils are concerned tho Counties Act, 1920,- gives them the necessary pawers, and it has been suggested that with regard to the blackberry board or noxious weeds board proposal, this existing legislation might be utilised and the County Councils exercise the jurisdiction which it was proposed should be exercised by the board. v

The chairman, Mr. Trafford, said he thought, that within - the last few days tlie borough liad been asked to appoint an. inspector. . J ilr. Benson said that at Wairoa he saw the, Maoris dealing with the pest. They had the wind up because they had received pieces of “blue’paper.” The chairman said that tho way the tiling is spreading he did not think that prohibiting the sale of blackberries would make much difference. Mr. Roberts mentioned that there were acres, and acres of blackberries near Muriwai. , ‘ Mr Monckton moved that a copy of Dr, 'Reakes’ letter be sent to the various local County Councils, and asking them to utilise the powers they had' under the 1920 Act to make all landowners cut the blackberry on their property.—The motion was carried.

Mr Monpkton. mentioned 1 that Mr Ross was the only inspector here, and' he had several other departments to look after. The chairman said/ it was impossible for one man to look after all the work.