IN THE WAKE OF THE BLIZZARD

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 262, 3 August 1939, Page 8

IN THE WAKE OF THE BLIZZARD

Blizzards of the kind experienced in New Zealand during the past two weeks are fortunately few and far Ivetween. It is many years since those parts of the country in the south, where hard frosts and occasional snowfalls are the normal incidents of the winter season, have had a visitation of such severity. In certain areas in the north, even as far toward the sub-tropical latitude as Cape Maria Van Diemen, snow has fallen for the first time in living memory. 1 o many, no doubt, the blizzard has come as a novel and interesting experience, but, like most visitations of Nature, there is a darker side to it. It is too soon yet for its effects upon the farming industries to be approximately measured, but reports so far indicate the possibility of heavy losses of stock, particularly among the young lambs that are now coming forward. It is to be hoped that these will not be as serious as is feared.

Visitations of this kind serve to emphasize the exposed position of the farmer to circumstances completely beyond his control. There is always the possibility of such bolts from the blue as destructive blizzards, paralysing droughts, floods, crop blights, disease, epidemics among stock, and slumps in overseas markets to depreciate the returns” for his efforts. The effect: of these is intensified when, as in a large number of cases, the farmer is trying to establish himself under the handicaps of limited capital, land requiring resources and labour to bring it into profitable use, burdensome taxation, and crippling costs. These factors are too often overlooked, and it is only when a storm of the severity which we have just experienced -weeps the country that people are reminded of them, and realize, it may be hoped, the justice of the claims of the farmers to a fair reward, foi their labour and a reasonable cover against the precarious conditions with which t'nev have to contend.