THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15604, 31 May 1916, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

FURTHER HEAVY RAIN,

Heavy showers have fullen in the Rangiora district during the past two days and at i) a.m. yesterday -—iiin was registered tor tue past 34 hours, making a total raintall since Friday last of 2.ij>in. In thci low-lying portions of the district large sheets of water are lying, and many farmers will suiter heavily by the rotting of their potatoes. Generally speaking, however, the rain lias proved welcome to the farmers.

Our Cheviot correspondent, writing under yesterday's date, says:—This' is the sixth day of very iieavy rain, and. such a downpour has not been experienced for the last two years. Yesterday the Leader river was in high flood, the mail-car just getting through, and catching the train two miles below the terminus. Another car got badly stuck. This rain will do an enormous lot of good, more especially in flooding out the grass grub, and giving the birds a chance to get at him. Starlings, sparrows, blackbirds, and magpics appear to be having a glorious time for the nonce. The contractor has started work on the lower Hurunui bridge, leading: on to the Stonyhurst country, but will be delayed somewhat with the present flood waters. There still appears to lie a fairly good growth in tho grass and other green winter feed, such as Cape barley and Dun oats, no frosts of any consequence so far having appeared. After a fortnight of fine weather, the weather at Hororata changed on Friday night to rain which continued throughout Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The rivers and creeks are all in flood, and all farm work has been suspended, as water is lying everywhere. There has been very little wheat got in o.i the heavy land, and prospects of getting any m till the spring are remote. As most of tho young men of the district have enlisted, farmers are beginning to wonder if it is advisable to out* much grain in. as there does not seem any prospect of getting labour in the busy time. A steady rain set in at Temuka on Saturday afternoon, and continued with little abatement till Monday morning, when, at 9 o'clock, 2.55 in were recorded. At least half an inch has fallen since then. Though the fall was the heaviest for over two years, farmers are earnestly hoping that there will be many more heavy falls to record before the spring comes round, for all

unworked land is very hard and dry, and the gubsoil is quite destitute of moisture. According to reports, a large area of the land round about Temuka will be devoted to wheat this year, and one "Waitohi farmer alone is putting down 200 acres in this cereal. The -winter, so far, has been very mild, and for the time of year, feed is fairly plentiful, but now that tbe weather has I broken, severe frosts are expected, and i stock will have a more trying time. FLOODS IN MARLBOROUGH. (special to "the truss.") BLENHEIM, May 30. The tang of the south-easterly weather has not yet departed. Heavy rain descended last night, adding substantially to tbe copious rainfall recorded sinco Thm'sdaj-. To-day light showers fell. The general violence of the protracted rainstorm seems, however, to have abated considerably. This morning the rivers had fallen several feet. The news from Marlborough Town is favourable. The flood there subsided quickly, and at midday practically tlie wholp of the area that was submerged was fro ( > of water, while the torrent in the V.'.iiran river had gone down to the extent- of four or five feet. The flood was far from being of a devastating naturo, and the land is little the worse, perhaps better, for the soaking. It- is believed that no stock was lost. ,The Tnamarina district, however, was 'still inundated. Tl: 0 country there does not allow of such quick discharge of flood water as has occurred at Marlborough JWn. It is reported that the greater part of the AY a i rau Pa is un-

der water. Between 200 and 300 acres of the Grovetown district were inundated, though not deeply, bv the flow of the water escaping from Marlborough Town, and remained covered. To-day the area affected is the rich country to the cast of flic railway line. A tremendous volume of waiter lias passed down the overflow channel, and the excellent escapc nForded by the direct channel at the Wn.iran bar has ber>n a valuable factor, beinnr especially beneficial to the farms lying in ihe direction of the sea.

A RECORD RAINFALL.

(srcci.u, to "tiie tress.") GISBORNE, May 30. This month will be the wettest May experienced in Gisborne as far as records ar e available. The total rainfall so far is 17.41 inches, the highest previous record for the full month 16.96 inches in 1879. The weather continues wet. There is a heavy sea running along the coast, and the Arahura, which arrived from Napier this morning, so far has been unable to land her passengers and mails. The steamer will be detained here till Thursday in the hope that the weather may abate enabling the transhipment of her Auckland cargo.

(rHESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGBAM.) ELLINGTON May 30. Heavy ram is falling, and all th e rivers are in flood. The total rainfall for the past twenty-four hour a was 2.10 inches.