CONTROL OF RAGWORT WEED

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1932, Page 5

CONTROL OF RAGWORT WEED

KEGULATIONS MUST BE ENFORCED SPREAD-FROM NATIVE LANDS. That ragwort was the worst weed in New Zealand, as the more top-dressing that was done , the more it thrived, was the opinion expressed by the chairman of the- Eginont County Council (Mr. W. C. Green) yesterday. The time had arrived when Government should take up the matter and enforce the regulations; more severely, he added. g The county council decided to endorse the resolution from- the Matamata County Council, impressing on the A» ' cultural Department that in view of the rapid increase of ragwort control must be taken up as a national it was beyond the ordinary la“d-owner and individual local body to cope with it; also that control of sodium chlorate should be taken by the department to prevent exploitation and ensure that it wajs supplied at net cost.* The council also considered that unemployed should be utilised to clear the weed off Crown The chairman, in moving that the *' council support the resolution, retene to the spread of ragwort in the district during the past few years- His own property, which formerly two or three nien could clear of the weed m less than a week, now took three men all their time. to keep the weed in check owing to the spread of the weed from Maori lands, which were a menace to th* district. Sodium chlorate pensive to apply and, moreover, had to be applied in suitable weather or it was uselees? The attention of the Maori Trust should be-drawn to the matter M the Parihaka block was a great men-, ace to the whole- coast... He knew hundreds of ’ acres of valuable land taat now had hardly a square yard clear of ragwort. He found blackberry only a iehbc coiiSMlcrxvt'ioji. Cr J. S. Tosland in seconding the motion endorsed the chairman’s remarks, which were also supported by other councillors. ,