ERADICATING RAGWORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 993, 9 June 1930, Page 11

ERADICATING RAGWORT

AUCKLAND AND TARANAKI MUST CO-OPERATE SOLUTION PROBABLE “The Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture seems likely to succeed in finding means of combating the menace of noxious weeds, particularly ragwort. If it does that, it is the duty of all farmers to assist to eradicate the nuisance.” This view was expressed this morning by Mr. M. G. Trotter, president of the Taranaki executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and chairman of the Stratford branch of the union. Mr. Trotter called in to The Sun office to supply his impressions of the measures contemplated to remove a serious nuisance from New Zealand’s agricultural life. Mr. Trotter* has visited several districts in the Auckland Province and has found the position warranting close attention; farmers in Taranaki are alive to the need for eradicating ragwort and are hopeful of co-operation from the farmers of South Auckland, who are considerably troubled, in advancing an organised campaign against ragwort. Mr. Trotter has devoted much time to study of the progress of research work on the question. The rapid spread of noxious weeds in fertile districts of Auckland and Taranaki must be viewed with alarm, he said. He was amazed at the apathy of some settlers in what was becoming an urgent national problem. ACTION BY FARMERS At Stratford, he had called a meeting of farmers and local body representatives to discuss the position; the outcome of the conference had been a decision to impress on the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union the necessity of arranging a conference of representatives of all the districts concerned.

It was expected that the executive would shortly announce the date and the place of the conference. Auckland’s co-operation was desired by the farmers of Taranaki. Some parts of South Auckland were in a bad state and it was essential for the farmers involved to study their interests. Mr. Trotter has experimented, with reasonable results, with a solution of salt and sulphate of iron but he has gained the best results in weed destruction from a poison sheep dip. The Department of Agriculture is now experimenting with a chlorate of sodium spray, Mr. Trotter said. To prevent a firm having a monopoly in the supply of this spray, the farmers had already approached the Government with a view to securing a supply through the department.