RAIN BRINGS RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 6

RAIN BRINGS RELIEF

Position In Manawatu Still Critical SUPPLEMENTARY FEED jjEING USED Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North Mhfeh 22. Bringing much-needed relief, heavy rain which fell in the Manawatu district last uight has done null'll to alltly _ the anxiety of farmers, though it is .considered to have come too late to be of real value to the dairy industry. So sevefe has been the drought that many farmers have been using the supplementary feed which should not have been touched until May or June, and there has also been a severe drop in the cream supply, as well as an adverse effect ill sale values. A farmer closely associated with the stock business said that such an abnormally dry period at this time of the year had never been experienced in the district. In addition to the shortage of feed many settlers liitd been Catting Water for their stock as well (is for liouseliold use. In many instances farmers had to draft their lambs to the absolute minimum. There had been no pasture growth, and the white buttefly hits taken the crops. The effect of the drought had also been shown in stock values, which bad eased generally. In the dairy industry the position has been acute this month. It is.estimated iu one quarter that a conservative estimate of the drop in the cream supply is 30 per cent. It is felt that the fall is so late that, even if it should Continue, it is very doubtful Whether a flush of feed would now. make any difference worth speaking of.