RAGWORT IN FRANKLIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1934, Page 11

RAGWORT IN FRANKLIN

CROWN LANDS THE WORST. GOVERNMENT BLAMED. At the monthly meeting of the Franklin County Council yesterday during a discussion on the ragwort problem, -Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P., blamed the Government for th© spread of the weed. He said that the most glaring examples of ragwort-infested lands were those owned by the crown, including Crown lands leased out, those with Crown mortgages <jtiid unoccupied Crown lands. During the past two years the council had incurred considerable expense in an endeavour to copc with the spread, Mr. Massey said, but the Government had not co-operated. The council had utilised all the unemployment labour available, but more stringent measures were necessary on the part of the Government. The council will write to all the Departments concerned, pointing out. that it has done all it can in the matter, and as the Crown is the principal offender the Government must make its own arrangements for the future work in eradicating the pest. Warning Prosecutions. In an attempt to impress upon farmers the necessity of keeping their farms clear of ragwort, the Department of Agriculture brought a number of prosecutions against Franklin farmers at the Pukekohe Court yesterday, before Mr. F. 11. Levien, S.M. Mr. A. W. Christie, of the Department, stated, that a rests at the Razorback, Bombay and Pukekawa. were badly affected and would have to bo cleared. The Department was not in' these cases pressing for heavy penalties. Duncan Campbell (Pukekawa) was convicted and ordered to pay 12/ costs. Similar penalties were imposed upon Mrs. Sarah Govan (Pukekohe East), Ralph C. Moore, George Walker, Hugh Cox Smith (Whangarata) and E. Shepherd (Bombay). An information .against Joseph Slater (Pukekawa) was dismissed upbn it being discovered that the notice sent related to another property.