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Prevention of Spread of Noxious Weeds Act

Commencement: 6 May 1966

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
REVISED EDITION 1988

CHAPTER 44

PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS

JR 8 of 1966

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION

1. Appointment of inspectors
2. Importation of noxious weeds prohibited
3. Right of entry
4. Limitation on right of entry
5. Declaration of noxious weeds
6. Areas to be kept free from noxious weeds
7. Eradication of weeds
8. Director of Agriculture may issue instructions
9. Offences and penalties
10. Power of Director of Agriculture to control weeds

SCHEDULE 1 Declared noxious weeds
SCHEDULE 2 Areas to be kept free from noxious weeds

SCHEDULE 3 Areas in which measures must be taken in accordance with notice to owners and occupiers given by the Director of Agriculture.

SCHEDULE 4 Notice of eradication or control of weeds.

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PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS

To prevent the spread of noxious weeds.

APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTORS

1. There shall be appointed in the Agricultural Department inspectors for the purposes of this Act.

IMPORTATION OF NOXIOUS WEEDS PROHIBITED

2. Except with the written consent of the Director of Agriculture no person shall import into Vanuatu any noxious weed or shall propagate, sow, sell or distribute, or cause to be propagated, sown, sold or distributed, any such weed.

RIGHT OF ENTRY

3. (1) An inspector may between sunrise and sunset, enter any property other than a building, and inspect it for the presence of declared noxious weeds or to ascertain whether there has been compliance with the requirements of this Act.

(2) It shall be the duty of every occupier of land to conduct the inspector on request on such land.

LIMITATION ON RIGHT OF ENTRY

4. The right of entry conferred by section 3, shall only be exercised after due notice of the intention to do so has been given to the occupier of the land intended to be entered.

DECLARATION OF NOXIOUS WEEDS

5. The plants, particulars of which are set out in the first part of Schedule 1, are declared to be noxious weeds throughout Vanuatu.

AREAS TO BE KEPT FREE FROM NOXIOUS WEEDS

6. The occupier of land in any of the areas shown in column 1 of Schedule 2, shall keep such land entirely free from the noxious weed shown against that Island or area in column 2 of the said Schedule.

ERADICATION OF WEEDS

7. The occupier of land in any of the areas shown in column 1 of Schedule 3 shall, with respect to the noxious weed shown against such area in column 2 of the said Schedule, take such measures to eradicate or control such weed as the Director of Agriculture may, by notice in writing, in the form set out in Schedule 4, direct the occupier.

DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE MAY ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS

8. The Director of Agriculture may, by notice issue directions as to the measures to be taken in order to eradicate or control any weed, and every occupier of land in the area or areas specified in such notice shall carry out such directions within the period specified in the said notice.

OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

9. Any person failing to comply with the provisions of this Act shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine of VT50,000 and shall not be relieved, on conviction of such an offence of the obligation to comply with such provisions or with the requirements of any notice made under the provisions of this Act.

POWER OF DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE TO CONTROL WEEDS

10. Without prejudice to the provisions of section 9, if any person fails within a reasonable time to comply with the provisions of sections 5 and 6 or with a notice issued under section 7, the Director of Agriculture may take such steps as are necessary to control or eradicate any noxious weed at the cost of that person and any expenses lawfully incurred by him in so doing may be recovered as a civil debt.

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SCHEDULE 1

(section 5)

DECLARED NOXIOUS WEEDS

Acacia famesiana Wild ......................................... Ellington Curse
Eichhomia crassipes Solms .................................... Water Hyacinth
Elephantopus mollis H.B.K. and E. spicatus ......... Tobacco Weed and False Tobacco Weed
Clidemia Hirta (L) D. Don .................................... Koster's Curse
Hyptis pectinate (L) Poit ....................................... Mint Weed
Opuntia (all species) ............................................. Prickly Pear
Sida acuta Burm. f. ............................................. Broom Weed
Solanum torvum Swartz ....................................... Wild Aubergine
Sorghum helepense (L) Pers .................................. Johnson Grass
Urena lobata (L) ................................................ Hibiscus burr
Xanthium pungens Wallr ...................................... Noogoora burr
Psidium guajava (L) ............................................ Guava
Cyperus aromaticus (Ridl) ................................ Navua Sedge
Mattf and Kukenth ............................................... Navua Sedge
Lantana camera (L) ............................................. Lantana
Asclepias curassavica (L) ..................................... Herbe A gendarme
Cassia tora (L) .................................................. Wild Peanut
Cuscuta australis R. Br ........................................ Dodder
Rivina Humilis (L) ............................................. Coral Berry

SCHEDULE 2

(section 6)

AREAS TO BE KEPT FREE FROM NOXIOUS WEEDS

Noxious Weeds

The whole group ................................................... Acacia fernesiana
The whole group ..................................................... Eichhornia crassipes
The whole group .................................................... Elephantopus mollis E. spicatus
The whole group .................................................... Clidemia hirta
The whole group .................................................. Hyptis pectinata
The whole group .................................................... Opuntia sp.
The whole group .................................................... Urena lobata
The whole group .................................................... Xanthium pungens
The whole group except Efate ................................. Cyperus aromaticus
The whole group except Efate and S. Santo .............. Asclepias curassavica
The whole group .................................................... Cuscuta australis

SCHEDULE 3

(section 7)

Areas in which measures must be taken in accordance with notice to owners and occupiers given by the Director of Agriculture.

Areas Noxious Weeds

Efate ............................................................................ Cyperus aromaticus
Efate and Espiritu Santo ............................................ Sorghum halepense
Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malekula, Tanna ...................... Psidium guajava
Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malekula .................................. Lantana camera
Efate and South Espiritu Santo ................................... Aselepias curassavica
Efate and Espiritu Santo ............................................. Cassia tora
Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malekula, Tanna ....................... Solanum torvum
Efate, Espiritu Santo, Tanna, Malekula ....................... Sida acuta
Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malekula ................................... Rivina humilis

SCHEDULE 4

(section 7)

NOTICE OF ERADICATION OR CONTROL OF WEEDS

Prevention of Spread of Noxious Weeds Act, Cap. 44

To: ............................................................................... (address and occupation).

Take Notice that, in respect of land owned or occupied by you and hereunder described, you are hereby required to comply with the requirements mentioned below; and I hereby call on you to commence the necessary work within ............... days from the date of this notice, and thereafter to continue the work until the said requirements are effectively complied with, being not later than the ......................... day of ................................... 19 .......

Name of land ............................................................................................. Area

Noxious Weeds ...................................................................................................

Control Measures:
........................................................................................................................

Dated this ......................... day of ................................... 19 .......

................................................ (Inspector)

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