THE PUTARURU PRESS. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1929. THE RAGWORT MENACE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 275, 14 February 1929, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1929. THE RAGWORT MENACE.

’Phone 28 - - - P.O. Box 44 Office - - - - Oxford Place

EVERY now and then there is a general outcry in regard to some menace to the farming industry. Rabbits, noxious weeds, or some stock disease have all had their turn. At present the menacing evil takes the form of the ragwort weed. One bright feature in the otherwise black outlook caused by the pestiferous plant is the amount of interest taken in the subject by chambers of commerce and others who are‘not directly associated with the land. This is quite as it should be, for the nation’s income depends on the success of the farming industry.

This outside interest betokens the awakening of what may be termed an agricultural sense, without which our Dominion cannot reach the highest limits of prosperity. There should be no need for apology for such interest, and it should be welcomed with open arms by farmers themselves.

In the welter of criticism and advice touching on the ragwort menace, ranging from dire penalties to mild palliatives, the main issue, as usual, is likely to be obscured. Some farmers may need stern compulsion and others only kindly advice, but the menace will not be overcome under present- conditions until the cure for all pests is sought. In seeking - this cure we would again urge the necessity of going deeper than the purely superficial end seeking root causes. In the ragwort evil, as in all other farm pests, we would suggest that the cause is largely owing to the great lack of doser settlement.

There is far too much idle land, and there is far too little population on the land which is settled. The solution therefore for ridding the bulk of the country of all noxious pests is the one man farm. In intensely cultivated land short shrift is given to all such menaces as ragwort, simply because each man has only that amount of land which he can conveniently handle. The Government has declared its policy as aiming towards this end, which we have long advocated. Sir .Joseph Ward has stated that he has already set £1,000,000 aside for the closer settlement of lands near efficient means of communication. It is to be hoped that this new policy will be carried out in a bold, comprehensive and efficient manner, for too long has the Dominion been compelled to take words for deeds in this connection.

It has been said by Ministerial mouths that there is little first-class land left for settlement in New Zealand. Never was a greater fallacy uttered. There are millions of acres yet available ; it is only the conditions that have altered. The problems are different, and to set this land free to obtain the ideal of one man farms new machinery is wanted for the old is out of date.

This is the big question that confronts the Minister for Lands to-day and if he can be brought to realise that what was efficient in the early nineties is most decidedly out of date to-day, New Zealand should enter a prolonged era of prosperity equal to any in its history, in which one man farms will provide the solution of far more varied and greater problems than that of ragwort.