THE YELLOW PERIL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4812, 22 February 1936, Page 4

THE YELLOW PERIL

CONFERENCE OF PUBLIC BODY REPRESENTATIVES. SUGGESTED REMEDIES. A very well attended meeting of representatives of local and public bodies throughout the Te Awamutu district was held on Thursday evening in the Oddfellows’ Hall, to consider the best steps to take to secure fuller recognition of the Ragwort Act or some other force to combat the spread of the peril. At the outset Mr. Wynyard explained the actions of the self-appointed committee (Messrs. J. L. Wallis, W. McGill, G. M. Wall, G. B. Melrose and himself), who felt the need for some organisation such as rabbit boards (which had proved unqualifiedly successful throughout the district). Their suggestions had been published in a recent issue of the Waipa Post for general information. Reco m mendat ions. The recommendations were as follows: That the Noxious Weeds Act be amended and altered to provide as follows: (a) Definition of occupier: That the definition of occupier be amended to include any person owning.any interest in any land or who is or may become liable to pay any rates leviable in respect of any such land. (b) That the definition of “clear” be amended to include the flowering of ragwort. (c) That provision be made for a minimum fine of, £5, and authority for inspectors to tdke action on their own initiative in cases where the occupier has permitted ragwort to grow on his own property to the risking of seeding other properties. Fines to be paid into a fund to be used for the the eradication of ragwort. (d) That provision be made for an affidavit from the county clerk as to the “occupier” to be taken as prima facie evidence in court. (e) That under conditions where ragwort infestation has rendered profitable farming impossible, and ; it is beyond the financial ability of the owner to deal with the ragwort, control be taken by the. inspector, who shall have power to place the owner under the Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Act, or similar legislation to be provided, whether the mortgagee be Crown or private. . (f) ‘ That on unimproved land it shall be an offence for an occupier to burn off any area unless the land so treated is immedia-tely put under cultivation and controlled as. far as ragwort is ,; concerned; and the burning off of Crown and-native land by irresponsible persons should be punishable by law. A long discussion ensued on Mr. Hodgson maintaining that it would force present settlers off the land. Farmers should be kept ‘on their holdings. He would provide 'for the control boards being able to graze such lands with flocks of sheep, as was done at Te Rau-a-moa over 2€ years ago. Ultimately it was agreed that the clause be amended to alter the word “inspector” to the “controlling authority (the county councils).

The remainder of the clauses were adopted and all delegates present were asked to bring the meeting’s findings before their own organisations, asking for full and hearty support.