DROUGHT IN HAWKE'S BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 59, 10 March 1915, Page 7

DROUGHT IN HAWKE'S BAY.

lAMBS SEIXING AT A SHILLING

SHEEP EXISTING OX WILLOWS.

In 'the course of conversation with an experienced Hawkes Bay agriculturist, a Waikato "Times" representative learned come interesting facts in regard to the effect tie long spell of dry weather has had upon crops and stock in that portion of tire Dominion. The farmervisitor said that ten months had elapsed •ince rain had fallen, and the country ■was a≤ bare as one's hand. The water supply was diminishing quickly, and there were any number of farms without a hoof on -them. In some cases the occupiers had cleared out and left their holdings as the water supply was completely exhausted. Stock were very low, anil had it not been for the west coafit matters would have been worse. At the end of last month lambs which in ordinary times would be worth 7/, could be bought at 1/ each. Cattle had been transported by thousands, and those that were too weak to stand, the rigours of a long journey were transferred by laiL lie same remarks were applicable in regard to cheep, and there were supposed to be many thousands on the roads round Feilding and further w«st. It was terrible to see the poor beggars bleating for a bit of tucker or a drop of water, tnd mustering cannot be carried out on lots of the paddocks as the animads wonld fall down. The farmer said that his own experience was that numbers, of hk sheep lad absolutely nothing but .willows for the last tyro months ; and he was bringing hay in truckloade to keep-the best of them fairly well. There were thousands existing on the same fare, wherever the willows were.

This farmers own experience was that sot one plant in. the shape of a turnip lad eiiown above the ground, and w-hat to do -he did not know. Oate were very dear, too. and to cap the lot there was ••heavy frost last week which finished JBoet of the potatoes. The potatoes were Ho good to begin with, and they must le finished-now. The freezing works were practically closed now, co that "tillable" stuff could not now be got rid of to make tooiri for the others.

jt amounts to just this/ the farmer *aid in conclusion, "that unless it rains and does co quickly, the Hawke's Bay People are np against the taJJeet proposition ihey have ever met. The only redeeming feature of the situation ie the feet that onlr portions of New Zealand are affected. Were it general on highly nlned land one could hardly estimate Tkt the result would be."