Bulls Farmers Say They Did Not See Notice To Clear Gorse

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 October 1948, Page 8

Bulls Farmers Say They Did Not See Notice To Clear Gorse

BULLS, Oct. 28 (OC).—A submission that the Rangitikei County Council's public notification requiring property owners and occupiers to clear add plants and small patches of gorse within a speeilietl period was not known, to his clients, because they did not subscribe to the newspapers in which the advertisement was published, was macle by Mr. R. Mackay before Mr. A. Coleman, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Bulls. Mt. Mackay was appearing lor three* farmers who were charged with failing to clear gorse as required by the public notification- After hearing submissions the magistrate saM he would adjourn the cases for two months, after which the Rangitikei County Council’s noxious weeds inspector, Mr. J. Robinson, would report .on the work carried out by defendants.

Mr. Robinson said at the outset that the cases were being brought to induce farmers in the county to cooperate with the council in clearing Rangitikei of gorse. The nubile notification had been published in four newspapers, but none of the defendants had sought exemption as provided for in the notice.

Mr. Mackay said that his clients did not subscribe to the newspapers referred to by Mr. Robinson. Counsel asked the inspector if he was aware that seven daily newspapers circulated in the district

The Magistrate: That is hardly a question for the inspector. It appeared to him, Mr. Mackay added, tiiat under the existing law all the inspector had to do was to go to the farmer and say: "I have advertised the notice as required by Statute. It is bad luck for you that you do not take the newspapers that I have advertised in, but I require you to carry out the terms of the notice as advertised in the newspapers you do not lake.”

Mr. Mackay said that farmers could not be expected to co-operate if they did not know what the council required them to do. The Magistrate: I am not concerned with that —I did not make th? laws. I am only here to administer them. I cannot understand why it is necessary for the farmers to be cold what they have to do as far as noxious weeds are concerned —they know that they have a duty, not only in their own benefit, but in the interest of the district, to keep their properties free from noxious weeds. Mr. Mackay said his clients had been tackling the problems at the rear of their farms, being unaware of what the council required of them. The magistrate said that as it appeared that all he defendants had done a considerable amount of work in dealing with the pest, he would adjourn the cases for two months, when the inspector would make a report of what had been accomplished by them.