DROUGHT THREAT IN SOUTH

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22337, 26 February 1938, Page 18

DROUGHT THREAT IN SOUTH

SHORTAGE OF FEED

FOR STOCK

SEVERE SLUMP IN SHEEP

PRICES

RAIN NEEDED WITHIN

NEXT FORTNIGHT

fTHE PRESS Special Service]

DUNEDIN. February 25,

With trie continuation of the long spell of dry weather and with the temperature daily soaring in Central Otago up to about 100 degrees, a serious drought is threatening most of the Otago and Southland districts. Sheep farmers are. those most immediately affected, as there is no feed for stock and they are also threatened with a shortage of winter feed because of the failure of turnip and other feed crops. At recent sales prices were much below those ruling at this time last year, and stock is being railed out of the worst affected areas. 1 areas where irrigation has been carried out, the position is not so serious, as the sheep are obtaining good feed on irrigated pastures, but that area is extremely limited.

In the Miller's Flat and Heriot districts the hillsides are barren. It is reported that one farmer near Heriot has sent out 24 trucks of sheep to other districts, and as much as 8d a head a week has been paid for grass feed. At the last Dumbarton sale, about a fortnight ago, lambs which were sold at this time last year at 22s a head were sold at 12s 6d, and there were sales of lambs at as low a price as 2s 6d about a week ago.

iTittle Bain This Year

In the Roxburgh district there was a slight fall of rain, but it was not suffi-* ciently heavy to do any good. In fact as one resident expressed it, it might as well have fall ~i on a . hot range. There has been nb really substantial fall of rain this year, and for some time before the New Year the weather was dry. The risk of serious fires is also continually present, and although farming has been curtailed, most farmers fear to leave theii homes unwatched. A result is that business in small centres is at a standstill throughout the day, and it is not until the comparative cool of the evening that many people 1 are to be seen.

Already one serious fire has occurred, sweeping over an area of 1000 acres of a sheep run. Fortunately, there was no loss of stock, but fences were destroyed. Many domestic water supplies have lo.ig since been exhausted, and it is necessary to carry supplies to meet ordinary requirements.

Crfcps in Dangfet-

, This state of affairs is not peculiar to the Central Otago district. It applies in a lesser degree to the whole of the cduhtry south of Miltbtt, to all of SOUth Otago, with the exception of Irichclutha, and to Southland. The Cat•lihs district looks fairly green, but there is a definite shortage of feed even there. The down country of the Clinton area is very brown, and apart from a little brbwhtop is devoid of feted. Turnip crops are holding fairly well, but they will go off rapidly .unless there is a good rain very soon. Already most of the crops have a slight touch of blight or aphis. Sheep prices at all sales south of Balelutha have eased, in marked contrast with last year, when valued were unusually high after a wet summer. Rain within a fortnight is needed in all of Otago and Southland.