MENACE OF RAGWORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21577, 23 August 1933, Page 7

MENACE OF RAGWORT

ERADICATION PROBLEM , GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE STATEMENT BY MINISTER [from ottr own correspondent] TAUKANGA, .Tuesday Tho Government's attitude in regard to the eradication of- ragwort was outlined by the Hon. C. E. Macmillan,

Minister of Agriculture, in a letter, to the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce in reply to a resolution passed by the chamber, which suggested that the work should become a national matter. For tho Government to take over the responsibility for the eradication of rag- . wort throughout the Dominion it would i., mean that the whole expense would have to be borne by the Consolidated Fund, said the Minister. While he fullyappreciated tho menace that ragwort) had become in many districts, it was ,• certain that the Government could not undertake the enormous expense that would be involved in clearing ragworli from all lands. This was. a matter thair mast bo left to the occupier. . ' ■ * Last season the Government gave' material assistance by providing relief; labour in co-operation with the ployment Board, and in districts such as Otorohanga, where the scheme was**- 1 ' enthusiastically taken up, a good deal •J * of useful work was carried out. In such cases the labour was supplied' bv the board, while tho settlers found ',*, transport and materials. This sharing of : the burden gave satisfactory results.' It was likely, continued the that similar arrangements would be 1 -- in operation next season, The matter ''' of clearing Crown and native lands had been engaging the attention of the de- r ~*. partment, and every use was being . made of unemployed labour. It was decided to refer the Minister's" letter to the local Unemployment Committee. ' * ! V

WORK IN WAIPA COUNTY MEN ENGAGED BY FARMERS !: , [from our own CORRESPONDENT] TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday r \ ' The Waipa County Council to-day ""? discussed a proposal that camps of un<employed men be established in the; Pukeatua district to assist settlers there to cope with the spread of ragwort. - - It was stated that the Unemployment ' Board was not at present prepared to'/;" bear the expense of establishing the*K camps, each of about 40 or 50 men from : v Auckland. . . Reports from Pukeatua indicated; that several farmers had engaged relief' workers singly or in pairs, and the men, were doing satisfactory work. It was! thought that best results will be ■ tairied by this method rather than by'!;'" ' establishing camps, as there would beJ< better supervision. The farmers, it wasj , v stated, had to find accommodation for j the men, provide cooking utensils andthe small insurance fees, the TJnemploy--inent Board paying the men's wages. '****' THE PIAKO COUNTY 1 .iVii'r?! APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTOR J'V ________ -.i\,' [from our own correspondent] TE AROHA, Tuesday ; - j; The appointment of a ragwort in*, spector to the Piako County Council;..., :from 25 applications caused a ventilation: of opinion as to what the duties of j such an officer would be, and also the [ procedure to he adopted by the coun- - cil to combat the menace, at a meet-" ing of the council yesterday. JLUii; Mr. Lowry said nobody but an ex-'-' perienced man should be appointed. Hw'r-Sj; work should be to discover those parts'' of the county which were the worst in-» w ' fested and take a party of unemployed'; .to the spot and commence treatment" - with chloride of lime immediately. The council could get in a stock at once ; > of the chemical required so that it r -■ could be at the disposal of the settlers"?'. ;■ at any time. Ragwort was a desperateif ' weed and only the most thorough-' ' methods would succeed in killing it. I* The chairman, Mr. W. C. Kennedy;' "t; said/the inspector should make an im-" mediate tour of the entire county, J* note the centres where the weed was ' most apparent and report back to the" ; council. It could then be considered whether or not relief camps could be* / r ||| established on the worst spots and the'flss weed properly exterminated. Three of the applicants were selected ij; and a ballot was taken for the appoint**: ment.