PURCHASE OF SODIUM CHLORATE

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4461, 24 October 1933, Page 4

PURCHASE OF SODIUM CHLORATE

The Waitomo County County has refused to avail itself of the proposal of Cabinet to purchase sodium chlorate and retail it at cost price to its ratepayers. Other counties Lave adopted the same policy and with good reason. At the same time it is most essential that those farmers who are having trouble in keeping rheir pastures free from the pest and whose financial resources are severely strained, should be in a position to purchase the sodium chlorate, the only remedy with those who are not running sheep on their properties. Some time back the Government offered a substantial reward for an effective method of killing blackberry, but this was never claimed. Ragwort, however, is a greater <*nenace to the farming community of this Dominion than blackberry, a fact that must be realised by Cabinet. It has been proved that sodium chlorate can deal with ragwort effectively, and from a national point of view it would be in the interests of the whole community that it should be made available to dairy farmers at a minimum of expense. Mr. Broadfoot has put forward a suggestion that part of the manure subsidy be made available for the purchase of sodium chlorate, and this is well worth the consideration of Cabinet. Where lands are infested with the weed topdressing only fosters the growth. In such cases the use of fertilisers is only a waste of time and money. The lands must be cleaned of the noxious growth before it is a sound, economical undertaking to top-dress. By diverting part of the manure subsidy in this way, much better results will be achieved in the end. The suggestion is a practical o'ne and well worth the consideration of Cabinet.