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Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1930, Page 4

The menace that ragwort is to the future of pastoral pursuits, although generally recognised, is not receiving that attention it should. It is very regrettable to see ragwort appearing more and more generally in Westland and in greater profusion. The matter certainly requires handling before the noxious week secures too great a hold. Last week when in the Waikato district, we notice the attention of the Minister of Lands was drawn to the increase of ragwort, particularly on native lands. Here we have ragwort appearing on Crown as well as privately owned lands-, and if the Minister comes this way as is hoped, probably the question will be brought under his notice by some of the farming communities which realise the dire effects to follow the spread of ragwort. When referring the matter to the ( Minister in the North Island, one of the speakers said at a country school the school children dissected one lull bloom of ragwort plant, and counted 13,000 seed. Mr Forbes in answering the deputation said lie realised that fines high or low were not a solution of the problem, of infested native lands. A certain sum would ho placed on the estimates for dealing with unindividualised land held by native communities. When the laud was individualised the native owners would be treated the same as Europeans where thoro were cases of neglect. The Department, said the Minister was fully alive to the ragwort peril, and at the present time it had

important experiments in hand. Dr Jteakes, of the Agricultural Department, who was present at the interview, said the Department was doing what it could with unindividualised native lands. Some thousands of pounds had been placed on the estimates and was being spent on the recommendations of the inspectors. He realised that the amount allocated was quite inadequate. Dr lieakes assured the deputation that individualized native lands were being dealt with in the same way as land held by Luiopeans. The conclusion he had come to as in the case of an owner of infested land in a comparatively clean area the Department should have power to enter and do work, charging Hie cost against him. Referring to the Department’s experiments, Dr Rcakes said he was hopeful of results from the cinnabar moth. They were a.,-o experimenting with sulphate of non m common salt, a proportion of one to three proving very effective if applied »n dry weather. They were also using chlorate of sodium as a spray. The results of the experiments under way, Dr Reakes said, would he widely published as soon as possible. Just" as this is becoming a serious question in the North Island, so here the matter is one for serious concern. Production is affected by the presence of ragwort, and in the future interests of pastoral pursuits too much attention cannot be given in all places where ragwort appears.