RAGWORT MENACE

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1935, Page 2

RAGWORT MENACE

COUNTY COUNCIL’S TASK

TAURANGA. May 29

The Tauranga County Council has received a letter from the Hon. C. E. MacMillan, Minister of Agriculture, in reply to a letter from Mr S. H. MacDougall. ex-county chairman, regarding the control of ragwort.

Mr MacMillan stated that tlu« establishment of noxious weeds hoards had been carefully and repeatedly considered, and it was finally decided that it would be preferable to vest power to handle the matter in county councils and legislation to that end was passed last year. It was a much more difficult matter to effectively deal with noxious weeds than with rabbits, and it was very questionable whether settlers would voluntarily sign a petition for the constitution of noxious weeds boards as they now do for the establishment of rabbit hoards. Even if noxious weeds boards were established, the Crown could not grant them power to deal with Crown and Native lands, though it would he prepared to co-oper-ate with them as far as possible. Mr MacDougall. in replying to Mr MacMillan, said: “I still think that something in the nature of a hoard, with th e help of relief labour so far given to the countries, would result in the effective economical and complete eradication of ragwort, providing always that the board had power to include Ciown and Native lands within its scope. I never can understand why those lands should be outside the common law.”