The owners of about 130 Nelson properties with confirmed argentine ant invasions are expected to pay about $50 each towards eradication, even though it may not rid them of the pesty predators.
Tuesday, December 7th 2004, 5:40PM
by The Landlord
The Nelson City Council's environment committee on Wednesday agreed to encourage residents to purchase their own bait, worth between $40 and $50 a property, and lay it themselves in a council co-ordinated operation.
Planning and consents divisional manager Rod Witte said two residents in the Ridgeway and Arapiki Rd areas where the ant had been found had already told the council they would not purchase the bait.
The residents objected on moral grounds, rather than because of any financial constraints, he said.
Mr Witte said the council was not obliged to do anything to eradicate the ants but he suggested it should coordinate eradication efforts because of the large number of properties involved.
