RAGWORT CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23504, 15 November 1939, Page 7

RAGWORT CONTROL

WORK IN THE WAIKATO RATEPAYER'S CRITICISM [FIIOM"OUR own correspondent] HAMILTON", Tuesday Declaring that unemployed workers who had been engaged by the Waikato County Council to treat ragwort on his farm had hidden away a quantity of sodium chlorate in the-scrub and had left large heaps lying over the farm, a ratepayer waited on the council at its meeting to-day asking for a reduction in the cost of the material. . It was stated that £56 os was owins to the council for the cost of the material used. Labour which had cost about £l2O had been provided free. One member stated that he agreed with what the ratepayer had said about the class of men engaged iu the work. Many of them were not fit for the .work. The trouble was that the council had no other type of labour available for the purpose. After some discussion, the council decided to accept £SO in full settlement of the debt. The county overseer, Mr. 6. G. Winter, said advice had been received from the Department of Agriculture authorising the expenditure-of £I6OO. about 76 per cent of the grant applied for. By rationing the work it was hoped to be able to cope with all that needed to be done. Two gangs of unemployed labour, consisting of 21 men in all, were engaged in treating _ ragwort by; botli the spraying and dusting methods. An inspection had been carried out on properties which had given trouble•}" the past,, and in most cases a definite improvement was noticeable. -