WELCOME RAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 8

WELCOME RAIN

MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT

BENEFIT TO FARMERS

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.")

BLENHEIM, January 24.

Dry conditions accompanied by temperatures varying from 90 to 94 degrees, which have been experienced m Marlborough over the past few weeks, •ended at least temporarily with steady rain which set in on Sunday morning and is still continuing. The fall over 24 hours has varied in different parts of the district from 98 points to 208 points.' Although harvesting operations have not yet been completed on a number of farms the rain will do an enormous amount of good, as feed was becoming alarmingly scarce and the position should be reflected at the weekly sheep sales at which for some weeks past prices have been steadily declining, chiefly because farmers were not able to hold stock for fattening.

The recent imposition of drastic hosing restrictions in the borough is another factor which makes the rain more welcome, for although there is no likelihood of the restrictions being lifted at present there is now sufficient moisture in the ground to allay the worst effects of the drought. Today the pressure in the town mains rose to 1001b per square inch, a decided improvement on recent pressures of 45 to 601b.

The change fci the weather was marked by a sudden drop in temperatures, which fell from 90 degrees on Saturday to CO degrees today. In the Flaxbourne district the change was accompanied by n sever;: northerly gale- which caused a fair amount of minor damage. At Lake Grassmere. which has been dry for several months, the wind swept up huge quantities of dust and soil and blew it south in a dense cloud along the coast. As a result it was impossible for farm work to be carried on in toe area.