ELTHAM COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1935, Page 6

ELTHAM COUNTY

CONTROL OF NOXIOUS WEEDS. COUNCIL GAZETTED POWERS. ■ >*? The monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council was held on Saturday. There were present Crs. A. L. Campbell (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, P. R. Brown, A V. Messana, M. W. Barker, J. L. Campbell, W. E. Carter, C. E. McGuinness and E. J. Gifford. A letter was received from the Egmont County Council stating that it could not lower the culvert on Eltham Road, west of Auroa Road. The Public Works Department advised of the proclaiming of land in Block XI, Ngaere S.D., as a Rawhitiroa Road deviation. The Main Highways Board advised that it had decided that any road to be recommended for declaration as a main highway must first be completely legalised as a public road. Local authorities and the board’s representatives would be required to verify the position in each case before submitting recommendations. The No. 7 District Highways Council advised that the Highways Board had delegated to the Eltham County Council all the powers conferred on it by Section 9 of the Main Highways Act 1922 in respect of the recently declared ElthamHawera via Keteonetea main highway. The Minister of Agriculture advised that action was being taken to have gazetted the terms of the resolution under which the Eltham County Council undertook to assume responsibility for the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1928, within the county as from January 1, 1935. Copies of the gazette notice subsequently issued were received from the Director of Agriculture who mentioned that all fines recovered might on application to the Minister of Finance .be paid into the county fund subject to a deduction of five per cent for the Consolidated Fund. The county inspector reported that the roads had been clear of stock and none had been found at night. Owing to the early seeding of blackberry and ragwort farmers were finding it a big problem to deal with weeds and it was necessary to give them attention. before harvesting was finished. Where necessary. notices to have weeds destroyed had been or would be issued, and failure to comply by the given date would be followed by prosecution. Cr. Knuckey said weeds were a serious problem as they had matured much earlier this year. It was necessary to treat the matter with a firm hand. The Eltham Dairy Co. had notified suppliers that sodium was available at cheap rates. Cr. Messana: Does anyone here consider he has less ragwort than he had before. The chairman: I certainly , have no more. Cr. Carter: I have. more. Cr. Gifford: I have much less than I had four years ago. Where there was a large patch there are only a few plants. Cr. Carter: I find there is much more ragwort on the lee side of plantations as the result of seed deposits, and I have from 10 to 20 times as much around my plantations as I had five years ago. Cr. Knuckey: If a settler neglects ragwort and lets it go to seed he is in for continuous trouble. Cr. Gifford: I think nbxious weeds are less in Mangatoki riding. The council - decided to accede to a request from the authorities to take a traffic tally this month. It was explained that it was desired to have, a summer tally as well as one in winter so as to gain an idea of the average throughout the year. On the motion of Cr. Knuckey it was decided to make overtures to the Stratford County Council to see if it would be prepared to do something to open its portion of Oru Road. Cr. Knuckey said that if opened up the road would be useful to settlers in both counties. It required to be cleared, and stumped over a swamp. . The. engineer, Mr. F. Muggeridge, reported that in the south riding the grader was run over Neil Road and a section of Mountain Road. Metal blinding was done on Boylan Road. In Mangatoki riding metal blinding was done on Lower Hunter Road. The grader was run over Skeet and Lower Stuart Roads. In Kaponga riding the re-sealing of Lower Auroa Road was completed. The final coat of metal was laid on the approaches to Mangawhero stream bridge, grouted with bitumen and sealed. Forty chains of resealing work was done on Eltham Road. A commencement was made to re-seal 40 chains of Lower Manaia Road. Metal blinding was done on Opunake-Stratford, Upper Auroa, Mangawhero, and Lower Rowan Roads. In Eltham riding the grader was run over Mountain and Anderson Roads. Metal blinding was done on Sangster and Tirimoana Roads.