SPEAD OF RAGWORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 25 January 1936, Page 16

SPEAD OF RAGWORT

ROTORUA DISTRICT CROWN AND NATIVE LANDS In continuation of his pie-sessional tour of the electorate, Mr. A. F. Memcur, M.P. lor Kotonm, received a number of deputations at I'utaruru, Tokoroa and Waotu and discussed informally the many problems placed before him. One of the most pressing matters represented to Mr. Moncur was the urgent need for some action to cope with the damage being done to farm lands by the spread of ragwort. It was pointed out tnat, although many larmerg were incurring considerable expense in an effort to clear the pest from their own .uperties, much of their work .was being undone by the failure of neighboring farmers and the Crown to take similar measures.

In reply, Mr. Moncur stated that for many years lie had held the opinion that) unless some drastic action was taken to deal with the ragwort menace, many of the country's best farm lands would eventually become useless. He iiad always held the opinion that the extermination of the pest was not a local problem but a national one, and when the opportunity was presented to him ol placing the matter before the House he would do so.

One of the most serious aspects of the matter, said Mr. Moncur, was the failure of previous Governments to ensure that Crown and native-owned property was cleared of ragwort, and he hoped that, as a result of representations which he had already made to the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, the Government would assist the farmer in tins direction.