NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18776, 26 October 1932, Page 2

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

LOCAL CONTROL URGED. DR. REAKE’S SUGGESTIONS. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. In the annual report of the Department of Agriculture presented to the House of Rpresentatives to-day a proposal that the Noxious Weeds Act should' be repealed and some more suitable measure passed to take its place Is made by the Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reakes. “The administration of this Act entails considerable expenditure in the endeavour to bring about observance of Its requirements,” states Dr. Reakes, “ and a review of the position to-day and of the results of the efforts of past years raises the question whether tills expenditure Is worth while. In closely setlled areas farmers, In their own interests, should keep weeds under proper control, and most of them do so, especially as by the use of sodium chlorate ragwort can now be effectively and economically dealt with. On larger properties, especially brokon coumtry, this weed is still a nuisance, but on the whole, it is no longer the serious menace it was a few years since. As regards other noxious weeds, blackberry is the worst. “Having regard to all the circumstances it is believed that no serious results would accrue if the Act, as at present constituted, were repealed and replaced by a measure so framed as to enable adequate measures to be taken to deal with any unforeseen development of serious spread of any existing or newly introduced noxious weed, and 1o give authority to county councils and urban authorities to take such measures in the event, of neressity arising. Local authorities might bo unwilling to accept this responsibility on tiie score of expense, but the amount involved should be small under ordinary circumstances, and it would be reasonable to make provision for financial assistance from the Government In the unlikely event of trouble arising to a sufficient extent to involve active measures and considerable expenditure. "As a matter of fact, county councils already possess powers enabling them to deal with noxious weeds. They also have powers to declare any plan!, oilier than blackberry, not In be regarded as noxious weeds within their district, and this has been exercised to a sufficient extent in Olagn and Southland to render the Noxious Weeds Act. practically a dead letter in those provinces.”