RAGWORT MENACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 9

RAGWORT MENACE

CAMPAIGN TO CHECK SPREAD OF WEED COUNTY COMMITTEE FORMED A decision to set up a committee to co-operate with the stock inspector in an effort to stamp out the growth of ragwort in the Grey County next year, was made by the Grey County Council at its monthly meeting this morning.

Members who were addressed by the’stock inspector, Mr. J. Fleming, on the cubject, agreed that ragwort was a serious menace to district farm lands and that last, year had been one of the worst years for the spread of this weed in the province’s history. The Department’ of Agriculture wrote to the council indicating that in future councils were required to confine the work undertaken by them, from the allocation made by the department, regarding the eradication of noxious weeds, to work on unoccupied Crown lands, unindividualised native lands, abandoned farms and farms of indigent owners. No doubt, the letter continued, councils would continue to make their gangs available to land occupiers who* could not be classified as indigent, but this would have to be a matter of ’negotiation . between the occupier and the council and the department would not be concerned with the charges. Duties of Committee.

It had been noted that several counties had set up small committees (known as ragwort committees) consisting of members of the council or council employees, or both, together with’ the stock inspector, the letter added. This committee was charged with the responsibility of reviewing applications for council assistance in dealing with ragwort and determining those whose financial position was such that they could not bear the cost of the work. It was also the’ duty of the committee to indicate to what extent, if any, an applicant could meet the cost. The setting up of such a committee, the appeared to be desirable, and it was suggested that the Grey Council should take similar steps. t Mr, Fleming pointed out that a lot of land was affected by ragwort, and suggested that the council should set up” a committee to co-operate with hl Cr. W. Fisher said that in 1939 there had been ei drive, but since then nothing had been done. As a result last year had been one of the worst for ragwort growth, with nearly all of the country covered with flowers. , ~ , , , , Cr. J. Ryan agreed that he had never seen ragwort, growth so bad as it was last year. He suggested that action was being taken too late, when the plant was in seed, and he suggested to Mr. Fleming that the date for legal action be a month earlier than usual. “Never Been Worse.

Cr. J. Mulcare disclosed that he bad been responsible for the statements made in an article which had appeared in the Evening Star earlier in the year drawing attention to the increasing menace of ragwort. “It is no good talking about sheep,” he said, “for many of the West Coast farms are too small to run them, while the land on others is not suitable. We should enlist the aid of other Government departments in our efforts to eradicate this weed, and I suggest that all the men under the Employment Division be made available or drafted for a month or six weeks to help in the work. Tne county staff is'too small. These small holdings which are so important to the piovince must be protected and we should give the department every assistance.’' In answer to Cr. F. Donovan, who asked whether ragwort was now worse than it had been 20 years ago, Mr. Fleming said that some farms had “held their own,” but others had “slipped badly.” ■ , q Cr. Mulcare said that there had never been a year as bad as last year. Crs. Mulcare, Fisher, and Ryan, and the acting engineer, Mr. H. E. Hlgeins, were appointed a ragwort committee, which was instructed to decide at its first meeting this afternoon the sum to be applied for as a Department of Agriculture grant Mr Fleming suggested that £lOOO be sought, whereas members of the council were of the opinion that application should be made Rm an amount similar to that m 1939— £2120.