RAGWORT MENACE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19523, 24 June 1933, Page 15

RAGWORT MENACE

“WORSE THAN THE DEPRESSION.”

“It is the general opinion that ragwort has hunted more people off the land in the King Country than the depression,” declared Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P., at a meeting of the Franklyn County Council, to a deputation of Waipipi farmers which met the council in regard to the ragwort menace. Speakers referred (says the “Auckland Star”) to the spread of the Weed, which was causing alarm, and intimated that a vigilance committee had been set up at Waiuku with the object of finding out where ragwort was flourishing and to report to the country council so that definite action could be taken by the inspector under the Department of Agriculture. It was suggested that riding members hold meetings in their territory and impress upon farmers the seriousness of the position. The action taken by the council to control the spread of the weed was explained, and it was decided to cooperate with the department and farmers in stamping out the menace, which was a real one as far as the future prosperity of the farmers was concerned.

It was pointed out that in the Waikato farmers, in some instances, had lost numbers of stock through the weed.