NOXIOUS WEEDS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3802, 31 August 1936, Page 5

NOXIOUS WEEDS

MINISTER’S INTENTIONS. Gratification at the information that the Minister of Agriculture was to make a statement on the destruction of noxious weeds was expressed by Mr W. .J. Broadfoot, M.P. for Waitomo, in the House of Representatives.

Mr Broadfoot said that many local bodies concerned, because with the coming'of'spring the weeds were getting away. He presumed that the grant of £2500 on the Native Department’s estimates would be spent in conduction with the larger scheme, because in itself it was hot a thousandth part ot what was required. In regard to land development he wished to know how many schemes were in progress as compared with the number in operation last year, and whether they were fulfilling their purpose of bringing the Natives back on to the land, and the general results that were being obtained. Up till twelve months ago the rate of repayment on these schemes was extraordinary, and be would be glad to know that that rate was being maintained.

The only sensible way to deal with the Native rating problem was to make Native lands productive, and where the Native was not prepared to pay rates and yet would not make his land productive other methods should be adopted. The local bodies had been more than patient, but as there were few ratepayers it was realised that those who paid rates were unduly penalised because of the non-payment ot rates by the Maoris.