STOCK TO CHECK RAGWORT

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1933, Page 6

STOCK TO CHECK RAGWORT

ACTION ON ABANDONED FARMS.

SUCCESS IN STRATFORD DISTRICT.

Success is attending a scheme in the Stratford district whereby abandoned land is stocked, with a view to checking ragwort. Any sections known to be unstocked by Farmers’ Union branches are notified to the Advances to Settlers Department and the Lands Department and arrangements made for the stocking of the farms. In many cases the stocking has been done by the Farmers’ Union. Excellent grazing that otherwise would have been wasted is being obtained. The local move for the eradication of ragwort by prevention was commenced at a meeting of the Stratford executive of the union in September. The matter was raised for the Toko branch by Mr. T. T. Murray. Lists of areas likely to be a menace to neighbouring farms were prepared by branches and the attention of the State Advances Department was called to the areas concerned. “The situation is better in hand now than it has ever been before,” Mr. Murray told a News reporter yesterday. “We were laughed at when we suggested stocking these areas, but the result has more than justified our endeavours.” Mr. Murray said there were still one or two farms coming to notice but all that had been notified had been arranged for. Farmers were being very good in the way of providing sheep to keep the places stocked and the necessary arrangements with mortgagees, the Lands Department or the State Advances Department were being made successfully. The result was not only to add value to the abandoned sections, but also to make it for the conscientious men who kept their farms, clean.

SPECIAL CLASS AT STRATFORD.

HEADMASTER REPORTS PROGRESS.

That departmental approval had been obtained for the establishment of a special class at the Stratford school was reported by Mr. L. J. Furrie at last night’s Stratford school committee meeting. A special assistant will be provided.

“I have been advised by the Education Board that the department has approved of the special class for the Stratford district,” stated Mr. Furrie’s report. “The class is to be established for the benefit of pupils who are not able to obtain the full benefit from the class system as at present established. About 18 children from Stratford, Eltham, Ngaere and Midhirst, on the recommendation of the medical officer, Dr. Champtaloup, and Miss Valentine, departmental inspector connected with the testing and examination of this type of pupil, will be admitted to the class. A special assistant is to be provided and her work will be on specialised lines. The new class will be housed in one of the spare infant rooms. I am sure that children will derive much benefit from the type of instruction provided.” ELTHAM TALKIES. “THE FLYING SQUAD.” With Scotland Yard’s wonderfully organised and efficient flying squad as its background, Edgar Walace’s famous story, “The Flying Squad,” has been brought to the screen. This picture will be shown to-night and to-morrow night at the Eltham Theatre. Harold Huth and Carol Goodner head the cast, a band of British stars which would be hard to better. It is against the colourful background of high speed, wirelessly-equip-ped motor-cars, the latest advances in the scientific fights against the criminals of to-day, that they play their roles. “The Flying Squad” as a film is fully up to the standard of the play and the novel, and the manner of its production shows that although its author is no longer alive, British film technique is of suf ficiently high quality adequately to portray his plots as he might have wished. The supporting programme is wonderful.