RAGWORT CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 9, 11 September 1945, Page 6

RAGWORT CONTROL

COUNCILLORS COMPLAINT LITTLE ASSISTANCE FOII FARMERS When the Department of Agriculurc advised the AVha'katane County Council at its meeting last Tuesday hat an allocation of £8500 had been nade available for the control of loxious weeds for the current year > McGougan protested that in Ms listrict the weed appeared to be vorse than ever,. The position at n-esent was that most pakeha farmers were forced to pay for the con:rol and also were compelled by law :o effect a clearance, In other directions native held land was being ileared free of cost, while other Maoris were even paid to carry it nit. The clerk pointed out that the only country upon which free labour and Free sodium could be expended was "rown Lands and untndividualised native lands, In all cases any work carried out on European-owned property must be recovered. Cr McGougan protested that this position was most unfair. Cr Hunter thought that there should be stricter supervision over the native, ragwort gangs and suggested that only pakeha supervisors should be appointed* The Council decided to write thanking the Department for the *rant and further that the Native Department be asked if it required £500 for expenditure on materials abour to be provided at the Department's cost and materials to be used only on unindividualised Native and Crown Lands in the Ruatoki area.