RAGWORT MENACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 17

RAGWORT MENACE

WAIPA COUNTY PROBLEM [FROM OT7R OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday In a report to the Waipa County Council the recently-appointed noxious weeks inspector, Mr. G. M. Wall, stated that every endeavour was being made to stimulate action by settlers in eradicating ragwoxt, and good work was being done by most of them. Gangs of men mado available by the Unemployment Board 'were ooing excellent work, approximately 22 tons ot sodium and lime mixture having been used in the past month. At present 22 men were working on ragwort, and two more gangs would be engaged in the next few days. Application was being made to the Department of Agriculture for sodium to treat native lands in the northern part of the county. , , The opinion w:ir expressed by councillors that the time probably was not far distant when the council would strike a special ragwort rate. The inspector said he did not nnd much difficulty in negotiating with landowners who had their properties subject to mortgage to private als but where mortgages were held by' public institutions there was a difficult task to obtain prompt action. He added that he had received a reply from the Cawthron Institute, stating that, although a permit to liberate the ra it wort seed fly had Been issued, it would be about two years before general liberation could be niade, since large stocks must first be built up at the institute.