MORE NEEDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 10

MORE NEEDED.

SOAKING DOWNFALL.

RAIN HAS BEEN STEADY.

ABSENCE OF SPRING GROWTH.

The half-inch of rain which has fallen in Auckland during the past 24 hours has given great satisfaction to those in the city interested in gardens, which had been wilting under the sun and wind prevailing since the rainfall of Labour week-end. The rain has been of the type calculated to do most good to flowers and vegetables.

Felicitations to the farming community outside a radius of ten miles of the city have, however, been found rather premature, for the rain has been streaky over the province, favouring districts lying contiguous to the East Coast. Although even here it has not been as heavy as was generally desired, it is reported to have given satisfaction in the rural areas of the north-eastern districts., where there had been a period of practically six weeks' fine weather. Dairy farmers in Whangarei and northern districts, whose milk yield had started to shrink prematurely, have benefited, especially by last night's fall. They are hoping for ite continuance, which is necensary to bring the pastures ba>?k to normal.

Districts remote from the East Coast, however, have not benefited to the eanie extent, for there the rain has been equally reqirivd. and it has been lighter. On the Dargavillo side, reports are to the effect that farmers are short of feed for their stock, anil that only a soaking rain will remedy the shortage. Similar reports come from the Waikato, where the early seeding of the grass crop has made certain that winter stocks of ensilage will be light. Rain has not been heavy enough this week to repair the damage, and latest advices are that the prospects of further immediate rain are not good.

Generally, the trend of reporte from all districts is that, while a continuance of yesterday's light rain would be beneficial, the country sorely needs a soaking downfall.

The "Star's" Te Aroha correspondent reported at noon to-day:—"After nearly three weeks of fine weather, and a series of drying ivinds, light rain set in and is continuing. Pasture lands will be materially benefited, and a continuance of the rain will enable factory supplies to he maintained."