FAILURE TO CLEAR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 55, 10 March 1944, Page 5

FAILURE TO CLEAR

NOXIOUS WEEDS PROSECUTIONS

COUNCIL TAKES ACTION

The first prosecutions instituted by the Whakatane County Council for many years) were heard before Mr E. L. Walton, S,M., at the local court sitting I&t Tuesday. The actions folHfcd several warnings by the HEnty Inspector and were the Btcome of the recent discusfon at the last Council meeting, n all cases according to the Inspector's evidence, a reasonable period had been given the 1 of-i fertilers in which to take able preventative action. The farm manager for Edward Massey Hutchinson owner of a ragwort infested property at Waimana, outlined what measures had been taken in order to cope with the weed, which he admitted was extremely bad on the farm. He had done all he could, by employing Maori labour and school boys but nothing was of much avail other than sodium, which was now unprocurable . Commenting that it Avas evident defendant was taking some steps to control, the Magistrate 'imposed a j line of 20s and costs 20s Gd.. i The property of Arthur Farrelly, of Manawahe, was described by the Inspector as being in a very bilct state Avitli ragwort, though he added he understood that some work had been done since. Fine £3 and costs 20s 6d. A. 11. R. Luttrell described how he personally had done all he possibly could to control the ragwort on a section which he had. recently taken over. The ragwort was heavily installed on the property and it Avas a major problem. Mr Walton: You'll have to keep the: elfort up. Fined 20s and costs 20s 6d. Samuel James Black (Mr Suckling) Avas charged with similar neglect. on his. property at Waimana. Counsel said that defendant had done all he possibly could on the farm up-to-date and that it had been impossible to do anything during the harvesting or cropping periods. Fined 20s and costs 24s 6d. Failure to clear blackberry from his property between the stipulated period. 11th October to 17th Jan-; uary was preferred against Alexander McLcap (Mr Otley). Counsel mentioned that owing to shorthandedness and. the fact that defendant had cndeaA'Oured, to meet the Government's appeal for greater jjroduction he had found it out of the question to attend to noxious weeds during the harvesting period. When this work relaxed however lie would lie making every endeavour to eradicate the weed. Fined 20s and costs 29s Gd.