FARMERS’ CO-OPERATION

Northern Advocate, 9 November 1934, Page 3

FARMERS’ CO-OPERATION

RAGWORT ERADICATION. LETTER FROM PRESIDENT. UNION SUGGESTS ADVERTISING. The Whangarei County Council recently appealed for assistance in its anti-ragwort campaign to the SubProvincial Branch of the Farmers’ Union. Today, the following reply was received from Mr A. Briscoe Moore, president of that body: “The ragwort question is constantly before our Auckland provincial executive,” he wrote, “where its seriousness is fully appreciated. We have done what we could to spread knowledge of the pest and assist identification in districts where it is only just making its appearance, but I agree with your council that the danger of this menace is apparently not sufficiently recognised locally. I think the efforts of the Whangarei County Council to deal with the matter and their offer to supply sodium chlorate at a low cost are entirely commendable and should be pushed on. At our next sub-provincial meeting. I shall send your letter to our delegates and make a special appeal to them to try tc drive home the necessity for action to the members of their branches throughout the Whangarei County area.

“I would suggest that the matter is so serious that it would justify some expenditure on advertising, in an attempt to secure action by farmers in this area. The next month or so is the time for this, so I would suggest that an advertisement might be inserted in the “Northern Advocate” in each of the four weeks of November, calling attention to the menace of ragwort, that now is the time to deal with ij:, and the means for so doing. This could be done either by the council or in association with the Farmers’ Union.”

The contents of this letter met with the warm, approval of the County Council today, and several speakers expressed gratification that the Farmers’ Union, was taking- the matter up so vigilantly. In view of the unfortunate apathy of farmers in fighting the weed, it.was decided to fall in with Mr Moore’s suggestion and insert an advertisement. Mexican Weed.

A letter was received from Mr W. M. Fraser,; drawing attention to the presence on the roadside between Hora Hora and Tahere of Eupatorium, a harmful and rapidly spreading Mexican plant. The council lost no time in making representations to the Government to have' the weed added to the second schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1928. This course was strongly advocated by Cr. A, Clarke who said that Eupatorium had been growing in Whareora riding for about ten years. Previous efforts to identify it through the Agricultural Department had not been successful. Now it was well established on several Hora Hora properties and in the district towards Kiripaka. Cr. J, Morrison agreed concerning the danger of spread, and said he had noticed the weed growing mostly on waste land. It stood about three feet high, was a perennial, and was like a wineberry in appearance. The leaf was bright green and triangular in shape, and the flower was white and small.

The chairman did not anticipate any difficulty in having the weed included in the provisions of the Act, which would enable steps for its eradication to be taken.