NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 February 1926, Page 4

NOXIOUS WEEDS.

A SERIOUS MENACE

FARMERS’ UNION DISCUSSION. The emphasis put upon the question of noxious weeds in Taranala by the Filth am County Council at its last meet-* ing was referred to by Mr W. E. Carter at the monthly meeting oi the Farmers’ Union Executive yesterday. He said the Eltham County had agreed to allow its ranger to report bad cases to the Department an Hawera, and suggested that other councils should do the same, because there were two or three months in the year during whichthe plants were seeding, when the position demanded a close supervision, which it was impossible for one man to give. There was more and more comii)o- in every year, and this was not fan- to those who were locking after their farms properly, and unless it was checked it would eventually drive men off the farms. Some places he knew were yellow with ragwort, and he suggested as a means to check it that every offence should be made continuous, and that if a man did not do the work of clearing, the fine should be doubled and trebled, or even more. The neighbours of a “dirty” farmer were the ones to suffer. Mr Sutherland said the cost of clearing should stand against the land, and that if a- leaseholder could not deal with it, the landlord should be made responsible and the fine, if necessary, should be made up to £SO. Mr Cameron said he had taken great trouble to check the growth, but thousands of plants had oome where only a few were a year or two ago. Mr Seed said that if a man had more land than he could keep clean, it should be taken from him. Mr Carter stressed that there were a few careless people who did not worry over the matter. If they took concerted action he was sure something could be done towards controlling the weeds.

A motion was carried that owing to the alarming spread of ragwort and other noxious weeds ,tlie failure on the part of a farmer to clear it be made a continuing offence, because a nominal fine is no deterrent, and that the matter be brought before the notice of the new Minister of Agriculture, and that all County Councils be urged to assist by alowing their rangers to report to the Department.