RAGWORT MENACE

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1934, Page 16

RAGWORT MENACE

COUNTY CONTROL DEMANDED RATING POWERS SOUGHT. PROPOSED STATE SUBSIDY.

Hamilton, March 30. A proposal that the Government should delegate its powers to control. ragwort to county councils and subsidise their funds was approved at a largely-attended conference of county council members convened by the Matamata County Council and held at Hamilton to-day. All parts of South Auckland, Bay of Plenty and the King Country, 21 counties in all, were represented. Mr. J. W. Anderson (Matamata) presided. The conference had before it copies of a Bill prepared by the Matamata County Council, which was designed to give county councils powers to spend money out of their ordinary revenues to eradicate the weed and to set up machinery similar to that already given to rabbit boards. It was proposed that revenue should be raised by levying a compulsory rate. Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., said that proposed legislation put forward by the North Taranaki Farmers’ Union differed in many important respects from the Bill prepared by the Matamata County Council. Under the Taranaki plan, compulsory rating was not suggested. It was proposed that the Government should extend its powers to control the weed to local bodies and only exercise its own powers when any of the local bodies proved negligent. It was suggested that farmers in difficult ci f .unstances should be helped to purchase sheep for keeping down the weed and that subsidised labour should be provided for them.

RATING CROWN LANDS. Mr. Polson said the Crown was realising that its lands should be made rateable for the purpose of raising funds for ragwort eradication. He did not think it advisable to expect the Government to do everything. He thought the local bodies should assume responsibility for the eradication of the weed, and should be given discretion to levy a rate where it was considered necessary. Mr. Polson said he desired to make it clear that it was not intended to strike a universal rate, but to levy one where it was required. Mr. H. E. Blyde, president of the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union, moved as follows: “That the power of local Sodies to control noxious weeds be extended to include, inter alia, authority to use moneys from ordinary revenue or to collect additional funds for the purpose of controlling noxious weeds, such money to be subsidised by the Government to the extent of the sum at present allocated for the eradication of noxious weeds, plus an amount equivalent to the sum collected from private landk for this purpose.” Mr. W. B. Bluck (Otorohanga) said the Otorohanga County Council had been able to check the growth of the weed on private lands by employing relief labour and spending £1250 on sodium chlorate. The council had been able to do nothing with Crown and Native lands, where the weed grew in profusion.

SETTLERS LEAVING LAND. Mr. W. Boyd (Matangi) referred to the deplorable state of affairs at Ngaroma, where the settlers were not in a financial position to eradicate the weed, and were being compelled to leave their land. Many farmers on clean areas were negligent, and isolated plants were allowed to live and seed. The chairman mentioned that a line of sheep was sold at Morrinsville a few days ago for £1 Os 6d, but when the buyer learned that the sheep came from ragwort country he refused to take delivery of them. They were sold again at Frankton and realised 8s 6d. There was no doubt that farmers on ragwort, land were paying dearly for the weed. Mr. H. Johnstone (Raglan) said the Raglan County Council had asked the Government to appoint the council g special board with powers to strike a rate with which to eradicate ragwort. Mr. Polson said that many county councils were already spending considerable sums on eradicating ragwort, and although the money came from the general funds, it represented a rate just the same. Mr. W. A. Lee (Waitomo) said his council could not support the measures until it was assured that the Government would accept responsibility for striking rates on Crown and Native lands and on lands on which it held mortgages. EFFECTIVE USE OF SHEEP.

Mr. C. K. Wilson (Waitomo) expressed the opinion that the use of sheep was the most economical and effective means of dealing with ragwort. The wholesale use of, sodium chlorate would involve an immense expense, which the country could not afford. He suggested that highway taxation should be diverted to the eradication of ragwort Mr. J. T. Main (Hauraki Plains) opposed the motion, and said if individual farmers had killed the ragwort in its early stages, the menace would not have reached its present dimensions. The resolution was carried by a large majority. .

The following committee was elected to draft a Bill on the lines of the resolution; Messrs. J. W. Anderson (Matamata), V. Simms (Otorohanga), A. L. Mason (Putaruru), C. S. Macky (Waipa), W. A. Lee (Waitomo) and E. D. White (Matamata). Mr. Polson said it was desirable that county councils should be given authority to stock abandoned farms and to buy and sell stock for the purpose. The procedure to be followed in cases where a rate was struck and where a rate was not struck would have to be embodied in any legislation. He thought the local bodies would find at least three Ministers sympathetic toward the proposal. He added that the cinnebar moth, which had been introduced to ragwort, had been exterminated by starlings. It was decided that the Government be urged to increase the grant to the Cawthron Institute 'for the purpose of discovering suitable parasites for the control of ragwort.