GENERAL

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1940, Page 4

GENERAL

Californian Thistle. "With the present shortage of labour it w'll be all right if people will keep ragwort down— the more you mess around with Californian thistle the worse it gets," said the chairman, Mr. A. L. Campbell, at a meeting of the Eltham County Council yesterday when a letter was received from the South Taranaki , executive of the Farmers' Union urging that the thistle be kept in check. Ragwort would kill .stock and had therefore to be kept down. Californian thistle on the other hand was not poisonous and shifted itself in many cases, said Mr. Campbell. Councillors pointed out that the weed could be kept in check if mown with a harvesting machine. before it seeded. This was not possible on hill country, however. No compulsion was possible, but the council felt that most farmers would mow it where possible. Too Many Bodies? When the chairman, Mr. A. L. Campbell, reported at a meeting of the Eltham County Council yesterday on a meeting of local bodies held at Hawera recently to hear an address on the formation of the Home Guard by the Hon. D. Wilson, it was suggested that too many organisations were being formed. It was pointed out that emergency precautions committecs had been set up, the Home Guard was being set up and the Minister of National Service was also active. Councillors feared "that a man would not know which organisation he was in." No action was taken. County Clcrk's Rccord. For the first time in 23 years as clerk of the Eltham County Council, Mr. A. Tiplady, was absent through sickness from the monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council yesterday. "This is the first time that Mr. Tiplady has been away from a county meeting," said the chairman. Mr. A. L. Campbell. who added that the council extended its sympathy to Mr. Tiplady and its wishes for his speedy recovery. Mr. W. A. Tiplady jnr. acted in his father's stead.