RAGWORT WEED MENACE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1932, Page 12

RAGWORT WEED MENACE

SETTLER’S APPEAL TO COUNCIL.

THE ACT BLAMED BY COUNCIL.

That the Act and not the inspectors was to blame for the failure to cope with the spread of noxious weeds was the opinion expressed by members of the. Inglewood County Council in response to an appeal from an Everett Road settler.

Several weeks ago, together with other farmers on the Everett Road, Mr. R. Phillips wrote that he had asked the council to call the attention of the authorities to the ragwort menace in the district, but little or no action had been taken by the authorities. The settlers were satisfied that the council had done all in its power. He, however, again asked the council’s assistance io press the matter as the position was rapidly becoming desperate. The fact that the settlers were continuing to ask the council’s assistance was proof that the responsible department and its officials were failing in their duty. Their apathetic attitude to the dire needs of the country in following up the destruction of the pest would surely leave a trail of devastation where now existed farm lands to be proud of. After the council had received the letter a quantity of ragwort was cut but was not even raked up and burned, “being left to spread on the wings of the four winds its cursed seed of pestilence.” Since then there had been an attempt to put a fire through one section where the ragwort had been allowed to develop to such an extent, “and yet the lethargic officials who drew their means to, obtain their daily bread from the taxpayers told them that the property owners were doing their best.” In these days of distress, where the country was drivan to its extremity in economy measures, could they not put the pruning shears through the department responsible and place some live, energetic men in their positions, firstly for the good of the country (practically its salvation if taken in time), and secondly to at least give the triers among the farming community (and the triers were in the majority), a little relief from «a continuous nightmare ? the settler asked. It was not sufficient that ordinary departmental methods would do now as the curse had gone too far. The day had arrived, or had long since passed, when the position must be tackled in a most serious manner “lest one lasting story of tragedy be written across the fair lands that now existed in God’s Own Country.” Members remarked that the letter spoke for itself, though they did not consider the inspectors were to blame; the Act was at fault,

It was resobed to forward the letter to the Minister of Agriculture.