NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10196, 4 July 1911, Page 2

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

STATEMENT BY THE HON T. MACKENZIE. Speaking to settlers at Tikokino on Wednesday, the Hon T. Mackenzie had something to say about noxious weeds in general and the Californian thistle ] in particular. The Minister said he recognised the great difficulty under which the settlers had to labour, and it was with extreme reluctance the officers of the Department were constrained to take action in order to not only rid the settlers now suffering from tho nest, but also ' to prevent tho country that was at present free from becoming infested. The desire of the Department was to learn from settlors what they could reasonably undertake, but of course- some- ■ thing must bo done. He- wanted to work with the settlers and not against thorn. Recently, political capital had been made out of the Department's action in taking proceedings. They had reached a crisis in tho history of some districts with noxious weeds, and it was for tho Government to consider what- steps should be taken other than those at present pursued to meet the difficulty. On the one hand an outcry was being raised against the Department, and politicians were not slow to turn this into account against the Administration. In the absence, therefore, of any supporting expression of opinion, it looked as if farmers generally were contented to allow the Department to be severely censured, and to allow it to be inferred that that impression was the public view on the situatiou. It seemed a strange irony of fate that, he should be called upon to en; deavour to '"set the. house in order" after so many years of neglect. Twenty-five years ago ho had introduced a measure which would have, at a moderate, cast, cleared the country. New tho thistle had in some parts undoubtedly got beyond control, and probably it might be found that in certain districts the operations of the Act would be required to be modified. One southern Opposition member had not only asked that inspectors should l>e done away with, but also that the whole Agricultural partment should be wiped out. That gentleman must have been grossly ignorant of what he "was demanding, or utterly indifferent as to the consequences of his acts if given effect to. He would point out to those politicians who were advocating that tho Act should be suspended the serious results likely to follow. Immediately a district was gazet ted as weed in l ooted the products coming from that locality would be greatly handicapped. Sped, chaff and even grain would be looked at askance, and, as a Seeds Purity Bill would be probably placed on the fet-a- ---; tute Book at an early date, seeds, unless properly cleaned, would cotne within tho scope of that measure's operations. The problem was a difficult one. and it was receiving his most careful consideration, with a view to endeavouring to evolve it modus operandi which would in a degree meet the situation. Of course, if farmers, whose property was free from the Californian thistle,' looked with indifference upon what was occurring, and gave no indications of support to the verv arduous and disagreeable duties whiHi the in«r>octors had to carrv out. the tact mitt hi have considerable in any future line of action. Ihe cost at tho present timo was alio tho work exceedingly unpleasant.