Farmers In North May Ask For Drought Relief

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29742, 8 February 1962, Page 14

Farmers In North May Ask For Drought Relief

(Neu Zeatana Press Association)

WHANGAREI. February 7 Rain now would be too late foi many Northland farmers, according to Department it Agriculture officials concerned with the major drough> areas of the north, northerr Wairoa and the far north

M> vi Halliwell, ol Kaitaia said the Far North and Kaeo branches of Federated Farmers had both asked for their areas to be declared special drought areas In the Kaeo area. Mr H Attenbarrow. at Salvation road, recordeo 1.41 in of rain for January Mr Halliwell said there would be a meeting probabl- tomorrow to considei requesting the Government to declare special drought areas and asking for aid ma.nlv financial relief He emphasised that there wei* pockets of serious cases with other farmers who were not so badly placed Mr 8 Hedley of the Department of Agriculture at Daigaville said rain now might help farmers next season on the Poutu Peninsula bir certainly not in this season

There was no further comment this morning from the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys, in Wellington on the request for aid from the Northern Wairoa special drought relief committee

The fire hazard is still high, although the weather is cooler today with light showers. The cooler weather has made facial eczema committees hopeful of lifting the warnings in force in the Whangarei and Bay ot Islands districts it it stays cool Yesterday, at Moerewa two !lR. es 01 * amb s from the Whangarei district showed infection that could have occurred up to 10 days ago Twenty-one livers were condemned out of 125 lambs tn one line and 18 livers condemned of 150 in another