WATER FAMINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 6, 8 January 1931, Page 10

WATER FAMINE.

GISBORNE'S PLIGHT.

SEWERAGE BLOCKAGE.

THREATENED BY DROUGHT. (By Teiegraph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE,' this day. Unless considerable improvement in the state of the Gisborne water supply j is manifested within the next few days, j the situation will become precarious. There is a possibility of the clogging of the sewerage system, which would mean a serious menace to public health. The depth of the water in the reservoir has been reduced to two feet, and the auxiliary supply, which it had been anticipated could be drawn upon in case of emergency, has been found to have completely dried up. The present position is due to the abnormal weather conditions of the past three months. Since December 3, only a quarter of an inch of rain has fallen, while the total since the end of September is less than three inches, compared with the average of over eight inches. The drought conditions have been accentuated by almost continuous drying winds, amounting at times to gale force. The temperature has frequently exceeded 90 in the shade. Restrictions in the use of water .have been in force for some time, but they have proved ineffective. Pumping was resorted- to at the beginning of the week, but one shift's ' operations exhausted the auxiliary supply. Efforts are now being made to locate other possible sources of supply, but so far they have not been successful. "Urgent warnings have been issued to the public to conserve the' supply. DARGAVILLE'S EXPERIENCE. Otvii Correspondent.) DARGAYILLE; this day. The aggregate rainfall locally during the year 1930 was the lightest recorded since the year 1927, and it was over eight inches less than that recorded in 1929. The fall for the year totalled 43.92 inches, compared with a total of 52.08 inches in 1929. Features of last year's rainfall were the relatively light monthly totals recorded during the -winter period.