RAGWORT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 439, 25 January 1933, Page 6

RAGWORT

WHAKATANE COUNTY COUNCIL DISAGREES WITH MINISTER ERADICATION NECESSARY At the Whakatane County Council meeting yesterday strong exception was taken by all councillors. to the expressions of the Hon. Minister of Agriculture in replying to the council's assertion that the fact of the Crown not taking steps to eradicate ragwort from its lands and also from the large undivided native bloeks, was nUllifying the efforts. of the council to wholly clear this district of the pest. The Hon. C. E. Macmillan stated that in his opinion once an occupied farm was cleared the labour and expense thereafter involved was not a very serious matter. It was this sentiment that called forth the eomment mentioned. Councillors Murray, Smith1, Durnett and McCullough readily cited numerous cases to the contrary and pointed out that with the rapid spread of the weed on Crown and unoccupied lands, the occupied lands were being infected to a greater extent each year and as a consequence the expense and labour of clearing was steadily mounting. It was unanimously decided to make urgent representations to the Hon. Minister to permit the use of unemployed labour for the purpose of eradicating the weed from the badly affected areas. —