ANIMAL AND PLANT EVILS IN THE COUNTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 301, 1 October 1938, Page 10

ANIMAL AND PLANT EVILS IN THE COUNTY

No. 14. In the trail of civilisation come great benefits—and great evils. That is unfortunately so to the human race, less, perhaps, to the animal kingdom and still less to the vegetable world. During the reading of the County Council Minutes I have come across items of long ago that proved interesting as they have developed. For instance, 52 years ago, July, 1886, willows were planted at the Ashburton traffic bridge and to-day, owing to these willows proving more than troublesome in the river bed, they are being cut down, put into hundreds of cords of firewood, and the stumps are being killed that the river may have a clear way to the sea. Even in November eight years later—1894—the engineer was given instructions to burn, under his or his overseers’ supervision, all the gorse in the Ashburton and the Hinds river beds. The Inroad of the Rabbit. In the same year that the willows were planted (1886) a rabbit inspector gave notice to> the Council that steps would have to be taken to destroy rabbits which were becoming a nuisance. Strangely, nine years later, in 1895, Mr Harrison for the Mount Somers Road Board, waited on the Council on the subject of rabbits, and on the motion of Messrs Harper and Grigg, this resolution was passed: “That this Council, being alarmed at the increase of rabbits in the South, strongly urges the Government to take steps to prevent them, from crossing into this County.” Evidently the rabbit inspector who drew the attention of the Council to the spread of rabbits in 1886 in the County was particularly vigilant, and the Council particularly forgetful when they passed the resolution in 1895 and used the words there set down.

As far back as July, 1884, the small birds were becoming a menace to farming operations and Cambridge and Co.,

of Ashburton, were given, the order by the Council for £IBO worth of poisoned wheat. Time after time mention is made of “Small bird destruction,” and in July, 1896, the-following record appears after a trial of another method: “That the attempt to secure the destruction of small birds by offering |d per head in May and June, having proved a failure, the Council resolves to revert to the destruction of small birds bv poisoned grain.” Another resolution mentions that the Council will supply the grain and see that it is properly poisoned, and another says that the Council will purchase clean grain and poison, and ask for quotations for mixing and bagging. In February of following year, the Council bought the grain for next year’s small bird destruction ■campaign and used two ounces of the poison to the bushel in the mixing. Keas and Californian Thistles. To-day the Council still supplies at nominal rates poisoned grain—chiefly oats —and the farmers in certain districts plan campaigns for destruction of the birds that were imported to deal with the farmers! grub foes. Keas were first mentioned in the Minutes on April 3, 1891, when it was agreed, with the Coleridge Iload Board, to ask the Government to have a clause in the “Small Birds Nuisance Act,” for payment of destruction of keas. There was no hesitation about that resolution . It was in January, 1895, that Californian Thistles began to obtrude; rangers had already marked the new

Story of Long Fight for Eradication

Specially written for the “Guardian” by John Bkown, “Lowcliffe,” Ashburton. (Copyright.)

plants but no special action had teen taken. Tho Council saw that it would have to take a hand in the destruction of tho thistles and bought gas lime and agricultural salt and sold it to farmers at cost price so that they might endeavour to cope with the plants. Again m March of the same year the Council bought and sold to fanners at cost two trucks of agricultural salt. In August the rangers were ordered to report where Californian thistles existed, and then came the resolution that gave the Council power to act, viz., “that the representatives of the County get a clause inserted in the Local Government Bill empowering local bodies to take action for the purpose of exterminating Californian thistles.” These after 40 years or more still flourish abundantly in spite of every effort made by the Council to help the farmer with another weed-killer. 1 am afraid the Californian thistle has come to stay, and that in spite of effort on the farmers’ part to hold it in check. Like other weeds, its natural enemy will be found. Till then it will have to bo suffered, especially in agricultural land and river beds. In the former continual cultivation at certain stages of growth will help—but at the present time the thistle is a definite problem. Irrigation from the Acton Race. In the ’nineties much of the space in the Minutes was taken up with the names of those applying for waterraces through their properties, < and for pond services. There was now no doubt that the water races were to be the salvation of the stock on the plains. In tlie last article I spoke of the irrigation farm run by the Council. Private persons, too, wanted to carry out irrigation work. Mr Allan, manager of the Acton Estate at Rakaia, was an enthusiast and in November, 1893, he suggested to the Council that he should tap the Rakaia, River in order that the Estate might have water races and that those farmers close by would also have

the benefit. He agreed to keep all the works to the satisfaction of the Council, half the cost of construction of the mains and sub-races to be paid by the Council after the race had been three years in operation, and, if under three years, payment according to arbitration. Mr Allan also agreed, for his owners (the New Zealand and Australian Land Company), that after the works were taken over by the Council his company would not seek compensation for any land required for the completion of the irrigation system within their district. It took fully a year to get all the details for this Acton system to bo thrashed out, and it was only in January, 1895, that the agreement was signed by the General Manager of the Company—Mr Bryden, of Dunedin. Evidently Mr Allan’s scheme was thoroughly successful and later the Council accepted an invitation to inspect the Acton irrigation system and the benefits to irrigated blocks of land. Change of Chairman. In the reading of the County Council’s Minutes interesting sidelights arise —short records of what was happening. In April, 1889, the Council resolved to send to the Dunedin Exhibition a map specially prepared showing the water races of the Ashburton County.

In November, 1893, the Hon. W. C. Walker resigned the position as Chairman of the Council, which he had held since its beginning in 1877. His position as Minister of Education and later as Member of the Legislative Council, took up most of his time. Mr Hugo Friedlander was appointed

Chairman in November, 1893, and held the position till May, 1895, when the Council accepted liis resignation and regretted that circumstances (illness) should have occurred to render it necessary for him to resign liis . scat and begged to sympathise with him and hope he might be in a position to occupy again a seat on the Council. On June 7, 1895, Mr E. G. Wright was appointed Chairman in his place. Another regretful record was that of the resignation of Mr John Grigg, of Longbeaeh, on January 10, 1896. Mr J. C. Harper moved, and Mr D. Cameron seconded, “That tho Council express its deep regret at J. Grigg’s resignation as a member of tho Council.” His was a long and honourable record. In February, 1896, Mr S. S. Chapman, of Willow.hy, was appointed to the Council in his place. Sidelights. Another sidelight is given on hospital matters on December 7, 1894, when the County Council resolved “that a letter be addressed to the Ashburton Borough Council pointing out the irregular attendance of their members at the Hospital Committee meetings and that this Council hopes that it will in future appoint members who will recognise the importance of more regular attendance to their duties.” In February, 1897, there was a big fire at the Pudding Hill Bridge and the Council recorded its appreciation as follows: “That a vote of thanks be tendered to all persons assisting at the fire and more especially to Miss Margaret Muirhead, and a gratuity of £1 Is be presented to her.” And in June, 1897, the County Council united with the Borough Council in celebrating Queen Victoria’s Record Reign money for fireworks being granted to the Fire Brigade and June 21, 22 and 23 being declared holidays for the celebrations.