NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16454, 5 June 1919, Page 7

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

ERADICATION A QUESTION OF LABOUR. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, JuneT* Giving evidence before the Parliamentary Industries Committee to-day, Dr. Reakes stated that it svas extremely difficult to administer the Noxious Weeds Act and he. did not know that it would, as framed at present, ever be successfully administered. Asked if he had any proposal regarding legislation Dr. Reakes said ho proposed to get the co-operation of the local bodies of various centres. The members of the local bodies were elected by the people of the district most affected by the existence of noxious weeds. The Chairman stated that there were 300,000 acres affected by blackberry in the Taranaki province alone. Dr. Reakes said it was largely a question of labour. The war had accentuated that. He was now engaged in drafting a Bill dealing with impure seed. A large staff of the department was engaged' regularly testing samples of seed.