RAGWORT IS GROWING MENACE IN NORTH

Northern Advocate, 30 March 1938, Page 10

RAGWORT IS GROWING MENACE IN NORTH

Statements that the growth of ragwort was increasing in Northland and that it was a grave menace, were made at the meeting of the Whangarei Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day. The president. Mr. A. B. Moore, said that last year it had been proposed that the inspector’s services be dispensed with during the winter months, but, due to the efforts of the county council and the union, he had been retained. He understood that the inspector would be finishing his work at the end of this month. The inspector had told him that he had found six new patches of the plant in the last two weeks, and Mr. Moore said that he should be kept o? the job if possible. The Government had men employed on work in many cases not as important as this.

Mr. H. E. Hewlett: Can he do much good in the next few months? Is it easy to find the plant in the winter? A member: If we allow the inspector to go, we may not get him back again next year at all. Mr. J. C. McKay said that he was sure that the weed was increasing and getting worse. It was becoming a menace, and he had seen between Whangarei and Kaikohe many clump;; springing up. The Tutamoe country was coming into ragwort. He did not think that the farmers realised the danger and were not rigid enough in carrying out the regulations. There was ample scope for a man to be employed throughout the year. Cheap Seed Should Be Stopped

Mr. O. V. Adlam raised the question of propagation of the weed through grass seed, and commented that cheap seed should be stopped coming into the territory if it was found that ragwort was spreading in this way. The secretary, Mr. A, E. Robinson, said that there was no system of inspecting seed and the only protection was to buy certified seed. A farmer could send a sample of seed to be examined as to weed content. On the other hand, at Broadwood, where the best seed had been sown, ragwort was coming up all over the place. The president said that i.t had been alleged, at times, thgt ragwort was present in seed, but this had not been fully established. One way in which the weed spread was by using bags for other seeds or lime, etc., bags in which the weed had been placed for transport to be burnt. Mr. Moore moved that the matter be taken up with the department and that the view be expressed that there was enough weed to warrant a man being kept on throughout the year. Mr. A. Wiblin: The inspector should go to every district. He has never been to us. Mr. K. Stevens: The position is the same as it was with abortion and mammitis. No one will admit it as ,the owner does not want to depreciate, the value of his land. The president; A lot of farmers don’t know ragwort if they see it. Two Inspectors Wanted Mr. Adlam moved an amendment that two inspectors be employed during the summer. The district was too big for one man, , A member: A man does not like informing on his neighbour if there is ragwort there. That is the trouble. Mr. McKay: If you atended the Morrinsvi'lie sheep sale you would realise what ragwort means. It means up to 15/- a head. Southern people won’t buy ragwort ewes if they can get any others. When I was there big fat ewes went for 12/6, and thin Northern ewes for 25/-. Mir. Platt: It is a man’s duty to inform the -inspector if his neighbour has ragwort. The farmer could get the inspector out to look over his own property and the inspector could cover the whole district at the same time. The amendment was amended to read that the department either continue to employ the inspector during the winter months or, alternatively, employ an extra inspector during the summer. The amendment was carried.