WELCOME RAINS

Grey River Argus, 15 January 1941, Page 10

WELCOME RAINS

THROUGHOUT CANTERBURY. „ CHRISTCHURCH, January 14. Steady rain fell throughout Canterbury this afternoon and to-night, and it will be of considerable benefit to the crops, which have been seriously affected by the recent drought conditions.

Farm Crops SWEPT BY FIRE. CHRISTCHURCH, January 14. Fire on Sunday, at Mount Palm, Rotherham, the property of Mr T. C. Robinson, spread over about 20 acres and did considerable damage before it was extinguished by firefighters who came from many parts of the district. The loss of crops, which were being harvested, is estimated by Mr Robinson at 100 bushels of oats and about 100 bushels of’ grass seed, in addition to 25 tons of chaff in stacks.

The loss was small compared with what might have occurred but for the efforts of the fire-fighters, and the presence of a dry creek-bed which served as a fire-break. The Mount Palm homstead and The Hermitage, the neighbouring homestead of Mrs V. Gould, and many thousands of acres of crops and pastures were endangered at one stage.

Mr Robinson believes the fire was caused by sparks struck from a stone by the “pick-up” of a header harvester. The fire had a good hold at. about 11.30 a.m. Soon about 60 helpers had arrived, men, women and children, and they worked strenuously with wet sacks for more than, three hours to check the fire. In addition to the threat to the two homesteads half a mile away, they averted a more immediate danger to a 70acre paddock of wheat. It was nearly 6 p.m. before the fire was put out. Water had to be brought from the Mount Palm homestead when a big plantation near by caught alight, but this outbreak was checked before serious damage was done. This was the first fire in the district during the dry. period of weather, but it emphasised the danger of outbreaks and the diculty of controlling them.