FARMERS’ UNION

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19892, 22 May 1936, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

MEETING AT TE AWAMUTU

CONTROL OF RAGWORT. (Times Representative.) TE AWAMUTU, Thursday. At a meeting of the executive of the Te Awamutu “branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-day Mr A. T. Bryant presided. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr P. Calder for a donation to the funds of the branch. In reply to a letter to the Prime Minister regarding the Government's policy for ragwort control a communication was received stating that the matter had -been referred to the Department of Agriculture.

A letter to the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture brought a reply that the matter was under consideration and the branch would be advised of any steps to be taken. Tihe Hon. W. Lee Martin advised that at present he was unable to deliver an address in Te Awamutu on the Government’s agricultural policy, but he would 'communicate with the branch later.

The matter of the liberation of the seed fly to combat ragwort was dealt with in a letter received from the director of the -Cawthron Institute in which the writer detailed the decision arrived at by a meeting in Hamilton. It had been agreed to raise funds for the liberation of the seed fly in the Auckland province. That seemed to be the only practical arrangement. There were now sufficient funds in hand to authorise the commencement of the collection of the insects in England, but the more funds made available the greater the area that could toe covered.

The Arohena branch wrote stating that they had asked the Waipa County Council to receive a deputation from the branch to deal with better methods of control of ragwort.* It was decided to reply that while Te Awamutu branch was fully in accord with the proposal It was not at present in a position to send a deputation.

It was also decided that the attention of the borough council should be drawn to the number of ragwort plants being allowed to flourish in the Iborough.