NATIONAL ACTION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 379, 14 November 1932, Page 4

NATIONAL ACTION

It is to be sincerely hoped that the agitation for recognition of the ragwort menace which has been launched by local bodies and farmers' organisations will result in some definite effort being made to check the appalling damage being done by this weed. It really seems incredible that Governments, both Reform and Liberal, have year after year, allowed trouble from this terrible pest to aecumulate. True, we have a Noxious Weeds Act, and oceasionally there is a little

sporadic activity under its prnvisions, but no adequate steps have ever been taken to control the spread of the weed. The result is that to-day thousands of acres of land are infected, and many thousands of pounds will have to be spent in doing work whieh could have been undertaken years ago at smah cost. Every year, deplorable as it may seem, the infected areas are being added to, yet no comprehensive policy of eradication has been attempted. The occasional prosecution of land owners who have neglected, or been unable owing to financial stringency, to clear their land is useless. In fact, in view of the existing circumstances, many of these prosecutions are unjust. Why prosecute private owners when Crown and native lands breed the pest at a, rate which is absolutely disastrous ? Why not get down to the bedrock of the position and do something! So far the only sign of Government awakening to the danger is the tentative promise to consider the possibility of selling sodium chlorate a little more cheaply to the farmers. But the breeding of a few moths and the reduction of a few pence in the price of sodium chlorate will get nowhere. The Government must recognise, and recognise quickly, that the war against ragwort is a national undertaking. It woulc pay the country in the end to buy shiploads of sodium chlorate and give it away to the lanc. owners, taking good care that it is used. There should also be an immediate organisation of unemployed labour to clear up Crown and native lands. While neglected areas are allowed to seed anc. spread the pest far and wide the task of the willing farmer, if not rendered entirely hopeless, is seriously handicapped. It is strange that a Government largely composed of farmers does not realise what the country is up against and get busy. We have a total of 71,971 men at present dependent upon the unemployment fund for maintenance and a classification of their tasks shows: On bureaux regis'ers and employed under No. 5 scheme, 48,343; subsidised employment on farms under schemes Nos. 4A, 4B, farm camp schemes, etc., 11,251; camp schemes (mostly single men), lanc improvement and development, 1,663; highways and backblock roads, 1.33Q ; afforestation, State Forest Service, 615; building subsidy scheme, 2,133 ; gold prospecting schemes (exclusive of men prospecting under No. 5 scheme), 270; miscellaneous (subsidised employment in various industries) 160; total receiving employment 63,765; on registers, but unplaced, 6,206; tota, wholly or partly dependent upon relief, 71,971. Out of this tota it may reasonably be taken that only a proportion of the men employed under Nos. 4A and 4B schemes are engaged on ragwort extermination, one of the most important works facing the country at the present time. Would it not be wise policy to take some of the 48,343 men who are tinkering around streets and footpaths in the towns anc send them out 'to fight an enemy which is definitely sure to take heavy toi! of our pastoral prosperity? Let us forget the price

of sodium chlorate and acknowledge that the time has arrived for national action. ■ 7?;