NORTHLAND STILL DRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 9

NORTHLAND STILL DRY.

WATER RUNNING SHORT.

FEARS FOR BAD WINTER.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

KAITAIA, this day

The prolonged dry spell is making its presence felt throughout the Northland, and those who have no other water supply than that conserved in tanks are in grave danger of being short of supply. tTp to the present there has not been any appreciable shrinkage in the supply of cream to factories in this district, but even paspalum, Which has been the salvation of northern farmers for a long time, is showing the effect of the drought. The absence of rain is having a serious effect upon crops, and settlers will experience a hard winter unless the drought breaks very soon.

POWER SUPPLIES AFFECTED.

HUNDREDS ON NIQHT- WORK.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.**)

WELLINGTON, Monday.

The long drought is beginning to have an important effect on industrial operations in the Wellington district. The Hutt Valley Power Board, which relies on power from the Government station at Mangahao, has for several days been endeavouring to keep down the load, and as several large factories and a meat works in its area have standby steam plants, there have come again into operation, and the Gear Meat Works is feeding back electricity into power lines when its own load is off.

The most serious interruption of ordinary work is at the Petone railway workshops, which have employees idle to-day. They start work at 11 p.m., and will continue on night shifts till the power shortage ends. All departments requiring power in this electrified workshop have to run during the night, and as the result a load of 500 kilowatts will drop to 25 kilowatts during the daytime. Wellington City, having a large steam plant, is imposing no restriction on consumers, and is equally fortunate in its water supply, hoses being still permitted where the service is metered.

DOWNPOUR IN WAIKATO.

BETWEEN POKENO AND MERCER.

A gentleman who returned to Auckland about 12.30 last night stated that he was surprised to find there had not been any rain in Auckland. "As we were coming between Pokeno and Mercer," he said, "there was a torrential downpour. One man told me that his 400-gallon tank was soon full and overflowing, We had to go over the Razorback," he said, "and we saw no less than four motor cars that had gone over tlje bank. I was astonished as we came nearer to Auckland to notice there had not been rain here."

RAIN THREATENING,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) TE AWAMUTU, this day. The two months' drought broke last evening, when heavy soaking rain ffell for half an hour. Although the fall was insufficient to do a great deal of good, it will be beneficial to the parched pastures.

The conditions to-day are very humid, and rain is threatening.

DOWNPOUR AT MERCER.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

MERCER, this day.

The prolonged dry spell was ended last night by a splendid fall of rain, lasting more than two hours. Though more is needed, the downpour will do much towards refreshing the pastures and supplying the immediate needs of the farmers. The rain appears to have been general throughout the Lower Waikato.