GETTING BAD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32519, 20 December 1944, Page 5

GETTING BAD

TALL FESCUE ON PLAINS ROADSIDES NEED CUTTING NOXIOUS WEED ERADICATION That, he had devoted all of his time during the past month to ragwort eradication and had inspected properties in all districts of the county was reported by the Noxious Weeds Inspector, Mr W. W. Williams, to the December meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council. •During'the month he had sent out three notices, to clear ragwort, and three for blackberry. ' ; The report added: — “I was able to let Mr Bush have two men to work on ragwort on his property at Awaiti. Owing to the weather during the past week, work has not progressed as> anticipated. “I contacted the Piako County’s inspector regarding ragwort on property. adjacent to our boundary. Winged Thistle Appearing noticed a few properties with small patches of .winged thistle, I thought it wise to contact owners .and have same cleared. “Distributions of sodium for the month were -one and a-half tons.” . Cr. D. G. McMillan raised the question of the danger of tall fescue which was rapidly spreading all over the Hauraki Plains. .It was now getting bad along the Peka Peka road. If farmers did not take this matter seriously it would soon be out of control. . He pointed out that travelling cats

and stock were helping to spread the seed. He emphasised the need for cutting the grass along the roadside.

The chairman, Mr C. W. Parfitt, and other councillors agreed with Cr. McMillan that tall fescue was a danger. They all agreed! that the grass should be cut and it was suggested that an appeal be issued to farmers to attend to their frontages.

Cr. W. H. Cheale moved that the council let a contract for the cutting of one swath each side of the road in all areas needing attention. / This was seconded by Cr. A. H. Sutton and carried.