RAGWORT MENACE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11134, 8 June 1933, Page 3

RAGWORT MENACE

Conference at Hamilton

STATEMENT 15V TAURANGA COUNTY CHAIRMAN.

Mr S. 11. MacDougall, Chairman of the Tauranga County Council, attended a conference of local bodies at Hamilton yesterday, when the question. of dealing with the proposed Bill in regard to the ragwort menace, as already forwarded to the Tauranga County Council by the Matamata County Council, was considered. About thirty delegates were present.

Mr MacDougall stated; ‘T thoroughly approve of the principle oi thie Bill, but do not think it workable in its present form. We must consider that many counties are not collecting 60 per cent, of their rates and lo clear and rate on badly infested ragwort country, in any part of the Dominion at all events, will mean that some ratepayers v. ill have lo throw up their farms. County Council,? are advocating derating but the Bill propones putting on a tax that on heavy ragweed country could not be paid. Another objection I have to the Bill is that it leaves the clearing of Crown and native lands lo the discretion of the Ministers. No Bill will be successful that doc,? not give us full power to clear all lands in the county. We all know that in many causes Crown and native lands have always been, and still are, a seedbed for noxious weeds and unless they, as well as the county lands, are cleared of ragweed, such areas will always be a menace to clean lands. In the matter of inspection and the powers of inspectors, this aspect of control is, I believe, fully covered under the Noxious Weeds Act. The question arirses as to what extent the Department’s inspectors may proceed; in this connection I would advocate, as with my county, that authority be obtained and gazetted, vesting all the powers of inspectors under the Act, but solely under the control of the County Council to have the penal clauses against the Crown and native landowners, as well as the privately owned lands*, effectively brought into operation. “It is put to this representative meeting of County Councils that the matter is a national one and as such, that representations be made to the Government with the Unemployment Board, per medium of the Minister of Agriculture, that it is absolutely essential that relief labour sha.ll be made available for the purpose of eradication of ragwort; the utilization of such labour to be made at the two most effectual periods, viz., spring growth and autumn growth periods: the, GoYment to supply sodium chlorate, camping material ami keep for the men. thus enabling concerted action over the Crown and native areas; County Councils to deal with the matter of transport and supervision. I venture to state that within two years farming lands and the other areas would see the menace under control.”

It was decided, on the motion of Mr Ford (Rotorua County Council) that the Bill be not proceeded with.