RAGWORT MENACE.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18929, 26 April 1933, Page 12

RAGWORT MENACE.

CONTROL BY COUNTIES. MEABURES FOR DEFAULTERS Recognition of the ever-pre-sent ragwort menace and the Imperative need for drastio aotion to check the growth of this noxious weed was made at the meeting .of the Walpa County Council on Monday when the following draft remits for the Counties’ Conference were submitted: — “ That the oouncil views with alarm the spread of noxious "weeds, particularly ragwort, and is of the opinion that in the interests of farmers generally the time has arrived for more drastio action if the alarming rate at which ragwort is spreading is to' be checked.”

“ That, owing to the fact that Government departments and officials are more or less under political control, itis considered desirable that county councils, whose members are conversant with their districts, should take ever complete control of noxicus weeds.”

“ That in the opinion of the oouncil ■the work of eradicating ragwort should he continuous and carried out 'expeditiously at the . proper time, and that in the event of farmers failing to carry out their obligations, the local authority would then clear the weeds and make the cost a 'first charge on the land.”

“ That the Crown as owner or first mortgagee should be bound and responsible to the same extent as private land-owners or private mortgagees.” “That the Native Land Department should be made responsible -to the ■same extent as private owners In respect of individualised native land and that other native owners and their lands should be subject to the same control in case of failure to clear weeds as private land-owners.” “ That under local body control the existing menace of ragwort spreading from abandoned land mortgaged to the Crown, Idle Crown land, and native land would be reduced to a minimum. Under the existing system, when land mortgaged to the Crown Is abandoned by the mortgagor, the State Advances or other departmental mortgagees are too slow to move in the matter.” Cr. E. F. .Peaco'cke emphasised that immediateraction was essential. Unless ragwort was attacked expeditiously it was useless attempting to deal with It.

Cr. G. S. Clarke said in a recent ragwort case the magistrate adjourned the hearing for two months. Even if the defendant were then fined the ragwort would still he growing and spreading. Mr T. Grant, county clerk said inspectors could not move as fast as they wished, as they were hampered by regulations. Cr. F. L. Onion drew attention to the fact that the Matamata County Council had taken action on similar lines and had issued circulars to all ■other county councils. He considered the Walpa Council should coordinate with It. The matter was, deferred, pending the arrival of the circular from the Matamata Council. Use of Unemployed. A request from the Unemployment Board 'for the number of acres In the county on which ragwort had been removed by the unemployed was received. The board also asked whether the work done had been of benefit to farmers.

“ There is no' doubt that the unemployed have done useful work, and if the employment position is the same next year we could do with their servics again,” said Mr S. C. Macky, the chairman.

It was resolved to reply on these lines.