RAIN RELIEVES DROUGHT IN SOME PARTS OF PROVINCE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29153, 14 March 1960, Page 10

RAIN RELIEVES DROUGHT IN SOME PARTS OF PROVINCE

Useful rains fell over Mid-Can-terbury during the week-end, and in some areas they relieved drought conditions described as being even more severe than last year’s. However, as has been so common in recent months, the fall was ’extremely variable, and in North Canterbury it appears to have been very light.

At Pendarves, in coastal MidCanterbury, a farmer said last evening that the week-end's fall had put -an end to a drought far worse than that of a year ago and the winter feed position now seemed to be assured. Most of the rain fell in the district early on Saturday morning, and by 9 a.m. there was 1.12 in. By 9 a.m. yesterday the fall was up to 1.27 in. Further inland in Mid-Canter-bury, in the Lauriston district, another farmer estimated the week-end’s fall at no more than three-quarters of an inch. It was a good thing for turnips and newly-sown grass, he said, but not nearly enough for droughtstricken pastures Here again most of the fall was on Saturday morning.

Methven District Between Methven and the foothills the fall to 9 a.m. yesterday was 1.62 in. Although some of the ridges have been dry lately, the season has generally been a good one apart from some dithrift in stock "and there has been no anxiety over feed, but stock water was reported to be running low for lack of rain in the watershed of the race system. In the Waddington district the week-end’s fall was 76 points. “It is about a quarter of what we want," said a district farmer last evening, “but it will do a lot of good, particularly as the weather has been cooler with it. It will freshen grass and turnips and rape will benefit?’ This farmer also reported that a stock water race from the Hawkins river was very low. Around Christchurch and further north falls were much lighter and insufficient to relieve drought conditions. At the Christchurch airport only 33 points had been recorded up till midday yesterday. Ohoka had barely a quarter of an inch by yesterday morning and a farmer in this area said that two to three inches were needed in the very near future. Culverden bad only 20 points by yesterday morning and none during the day. At Cheviot the fall till yesterday morning amounted to only 18 points but this district has had quite a good season and even falls of half an inch are beneficial in this area in keeping growth going. Drizzle at Kaikoura Further north at Kaikoura the week-end rain amounted to only an intermittent drizzle, and at Akaroa very little rain was recorded for the week-end. At Timaru the fall till yesterday morning amounted to 78 points Professor A. H Flay, head of the farm management and rubai valuation department at Canterbury Agricultural College, said ’ast evening that it seethed that 'he rains in Mid-Canterbury might have gone a good way toward breaking the drought, but

around Christchurch and further north good autumn rains were still awaited. Though an inch might be regarded as necessary to break the drought. Professor Flay said that as cooler weather approached three-quarters of an inch was a good start.

Where drought-breaking rain had fallen, he said, grass and greenfeed not already sown should now be sown and if they wished farmers might take the risk of sowing York Globe turnips with their grass. If possible an effort should be made to let some pastures recover a little before grazing them judiciously. It should also now be possible where good rains had fallen to proceed with autumn cultivation for wheat. Ploughing would become relatively easy.

In areas where Vie drought continued the need remained to husband available feed supplies.