NOXIOUS WEEDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 54, 6 March 1945, Page 5

NOXIOUS WEEDS

CONTROL IN THE COUNTY

NEW TEASLE' VARIETY

After reporting to the Whakatane County that, lie had inspected some 445 properties during the month the County Inspector (Mr A. Carling) stated that the ragwort was having a longer period of growth this year Avhich he thought was duo to the late rains producing a heavy second growth and was therefore allowing the settlers most seriously affected a little more time to make a final clearance. One settler had not made a satisfactory clearance of ragwort and had been served an offence notice. Referring to blackberry on certain Maori-owned land Cr Leslie deciar--9 ed that it was the habit of pa'kehas to lease "it up to the time, of clear-> ing, and then to relinquish it back to the owners who were then faced with the prospect of clearing it •themselves. He thought the Council should take, a more serious view of the position. Cr McCracken: It is understood that Councillors should co-operate by reporting to the inspector on these isolated blocks. Cr Leslie: There are two reasons why a farmer allows noxious -weeds on his property. One is that he possesses too much land to farm properly and therefore allows it to go back s and the other is> that he is just too lazy to attend to it. Cr Leslie then produced a head of teasle which he said was full of. ♦J seed and was in danger of spreading, in his district unless subjected to control. The Council decided to write the Department of Agriculture requesting that the weed be added to those already listed as 'noxious.'