"SHOT WITHOUT TRIAL"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 53, 2 March 1945, Page 3

"SHOT WITHOUT TRIAL"

RAGWORT MENACE DISCUSSED

"YELLOW PERIL" AT TE PUKE

"Talk about the yellow peril—if we had that clown our way the councillors would be shot and not even put on trial," remarked Mr 11. C. McCready at the quarterly meeting of the Bay of Plenty Sub Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union in Tauranga when speaking about an area of ragwort at Te Puke seen from a passing train that morning. The subject was raised in a let-i ter from the Tauranga County Council in reply to a request from the executive that the council be urged to adopt a vigorous policy to control the spread of ragwort in the county. The letter to the county added that while, it might be claimed that the. shortage of manpower affected the position, the seriousness of the spread of this weed so concerned the farming community in the Tauranga 'County that it had prompted the request. Question in Hand The council informed that the inspector now had the question in hand and was working gangs throughout the county under subsidy as. provided by the Department of Agriculture, and he notifying those neglecting to clear their land to do so. Mr McCready spoke strongly about the question of ragwort on Maori lands. "We are making a very poor fist of it/' he said. The yellow peril was still growing. Speaking once again of the ragwort seen at Te. Puke, Mr McCready said that there was enough seed down there to sow New Zealand twice over. With a State subsidy one would think that the counties would do the job properly. The. president. (Mr R. W. Strugnell) explained that sodium chlorate wa& practically unprocurable. Mr McCready: Oil, no! The president: Can you get some? Mr McCready replied that he could, 'remarking that there were, tons available. Mr W. I. Rushton a member of the Tauranga Colinl\ Council, revealed that responsible were prepared to do everything possible to try and get rid of the ragwort. He had interviewed the inspector and learned that in every single case and' in every instance the inspector's Avi&hes had been met. Mi Rushton mentioned the aspect of sccond growth and said that a gieat deal of the land at Te Puke belonged to Maori people. Paid To Cut Down Ragwort

The Maoris had been paid to cut their own ragjvort. "We ? as a County Council, feel that our inspector is doing his duty as far as is humanly possible." The difficulties of obtaining sodium were mentioned by Mr Rushton who stated that last year the County Council had ordered six tons and had received only one ton. This year seven tons had been ordered, and it was believed that only one ton \ya§ coming. "How is it that other Counties get it?" asked Mr Rushton, Mr McCready: To see the amount ol' ragwort in this county is a positive disgrace. What is the use of helping the Maori it' he won't help us? It is our money, yet we don't I get results.. The view that the system and legislation of counties' was all wrong, was expressed by Mr I. Vercoe (Te Puke), who said that soldiers had been taken 15 to 20 miles awaj r to eradicate ragwort and yet half, a mile from the camp there was a mass of ragwort. The letters from the council were

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