SPREAD OR RAGWORT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6137, 17 September 1945, Page 3

SPREAD OR RAGWORT

BALED HAY BLAMED \ "W.T', “It has been brought to my notice that ragwort in flower has been discovered in baled hay when farmers were feeding hay to stock,” said the Matamata Qounty Council’s noxious weeds inspector, Mr W. J. Logan, in his report to the council last Thursday. “It is difficult to understand how any farmer could be so indifferent to the spread of ragwort, and to the consequent infestation and damage to otherwise clean farms, as to permit this noxious weed to be cut and baled with hay.” The engineer, Mr M. E. Fitzgerald, commented that the last bale of hay was always taken in the bal6r plant 1 to the next farm, and in consequence the weed was spread from a ragwortinfested farm to a clean one. Mr C. G. Dunham urged that the council should move to obtain an amendment to the Act to prohibit the baling of hay which contained ragwort. It was agreed that the Department of Agriculture* be asked to introduce legislation to prohibit the pressing of hay containing ragwort, and that the Minister of Agriculture be asked to confer on the subject with research officers at Ruakura.