“ YELLOW PERIL”

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1930, Page 7

“ YELLOW PERIL”

MENACE OF E.AGWDRT WEED. T.. . uKE, March 1. The ragwort menace has of Into been causing concern among the settlors of the Bay of Plenty, and in particular of the To Puke, Whakatane and Tsiuranga districts. So had has it become this autumn that farmers have been losing huge numbers of stock. The weed has taken absolute possession of grazing land at Ngawaro and adjoining areas, and has grown as tall as live and six feet. One farmer in this district has lost 47 head of stock since January. One evening, when returning with his cows for milking, one dairy farmer at Ngawaro discovered seven heifers to be missing. Upon investigation he found them dead. Not only this, but he also discovered five draught horses taken by the yellow peril. Other farmers in the district have also bad losses of stock. The cinnabar moth released last autumn by the Agricultural Department has done effective work, but the insects have not increased in tile numbers anticipated, such as is necessary to cope with tile rapidly spreading ragwort. The Whakatane County Council has realised the serious menace, and has unanimously passed the following resolution : “That the Government inspector, Mr Urquhart, be invited to inspect the land of owners who have h°en warned tn rid their properties of noxious weeds, and to invito proseditions.” mops in the same direction have also been taken by the Tauranga County Council, and it is hoped to gain the assistance of the Department of A,g •ioulture for the betterment of farm lands throughout tile Bay of Plenty.