Rain brings relief, and worries

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 1

Rain brings relief, and worries

After months of drought, some Mid-Canterbury farmers fear they may get too much rain. Mr L. R. Kingsbury, chairman of the meat and wool section of Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers, says he is “jumping with joy” about the rain on his Dorie farm. Other Mid-Canterbury farmers, while still welcoming the rain, are beginning to get too much, he says. One inland station has lost about 400 newly shorn ewes. Rainfall inland has been 101.6 mm, Mr Kingsbury says, and coastal areas have had a 63mm fall. The rain will be good for Mid-Canterbury lamb

farmers. The extra feed it will bring will enable lambs to be kept longer and fattened to heavier weights for higher prices. For the first time in several years farmers will be able to build up good hay supplies for the winter, Mr Kingsbury says. He is cautious of declaring the drought over. “One swallow does not make a summer,” he says. If there are a few smaller falls in the next few weeks, then the drought may end, he says. The weather has also been good news for crop farmers. Mr A. G. Wright, of Hinds, chairman of Federated Farmers’ local agriculture

section, says it will be a good season for cropping, as rain was vital at this time. Warmth is now needed, he says. His farm has had 65mm of rain in the last few days. Farmers in the Mackenzie Country took advantage of fine weather yesterday morning to recover snowbound ewes. The chairman of the Mackenzie branch of Federated Fanners, Mr A. J. France, says that more snow and drizzle in the afternoon hampered further stock rescue attempts. More than 70mm of moisture has fallen in the last few days, says Mr France. Although it will be some time before the full effects

can be gauged, Mr France estimates that up to 10 per cent of lambs may have been lost. Stations on the north side of Lake Tekapo have been the worst affected, he says. Hundreds of adult ewes, most newly shorn, have been killed by the snow. Three or four weeks ago such weather would not have been unusual, he says. Shearing normally is left until after this expected spell of bad weather. This year it came very late. Until how Mackenzie Country farmers have had a normal season, with a good spring, he says. The effects of the losses “will not be major, but it will take the

cream from the cake.” Mr France expects that if the cold weather continues, losses will be higher, as stock are weakening. The bad weather closed the Mount Hutt ski-field for the entire week-end, the first time on record. The field had its biggest snowfall since 1980, of 105 cm. The Press Association reports that in Otago, more heavy rain fell yesterday, closing one railway branch line and threatening to close the Main Trunk line south. In the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday, 10.6 mm of rain fell in Dunedin, and another 10mm fell in the next six hours. Rivers in the area are .still rising.

The Silverstream River on the Taieri Plain is running over its banks. State highway 94 between Te Anau and Milford Sound was opened yesterday after avalanches had closed the road on Monday. North Otago hill-country farmers are counting the cost of the cold snap, which is reported to have killed hundreds of newly, shorn sheep. As rain still fell throughout the district. Ministry of Agriculture farm advisory officers said that drought-hit farms of the Waiareka Valley still needed more rain.’

Just over 25mm of rain had fallen since Saturday afternoon. A Kakanui foothills farmer, Mr Peter Walton, says he lost at least 250 machine-shorn hoggets from his flock, and expects greater losses. His. 8000 ewes are spread over several thousand snowcovered acres and he will not know lamb losses until the snow thaws. Light rain continued over most of Southland. Moderate flooding was reported in places, particularly in lowerlying areas near tidal rivers. In the North Island yesterday. graders were clearing roads in Egmont National Park after overnight snow left more than 6cm at the Stratford Mountain House and Dawson Falls Tourist Lodge. More snow fell yesterday, taking the snowline’on Mount Egmont down to below 1000 m.

Traffic was moving slowly along the Desert Road, where about 12cm of snowfell on the highest part at the week-end. Conditions in Canterbury should improve in the next few days, according to the Meteorological Service. Fine weather is expected, but it will not necessarily be warm. A meteorologist. Mr I. Miller, savs the winds and

rain will ease today but cool, cloudy weather can be expected for the next few days.

Mr Miller says there should be enough moisture to “tide farmers over" the next few weeks.

Since Saturday morning. 42mm of rain have fallen in Christchurch. At Christchurch Airport, 34.7 mm has been recorded.

The south-easterly depression bringing the rain is not rare, Mr Miller says. However, the depression now moving north has been closer to the coast than usual, making it the most "vigorous” in the last year or so. The Municipal Electricity

Department reported no problems yesterday with power supplies, and the Automobile Association (Canterbury) says that all roads are open. Care should be taken on State Highway 73 to the West Coast over Arthur's Pass, where slips blocked the road a few days ago: