HEAVY LOSSES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 January 1929, Page 5

HEAVY LOSSES

OTAGO HAILSTORM.

HUNDRED SjETTLERS AFFECTED. EXTENT NOT VET ASCERTAINED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) OA'MARU, Jan. 10. Mr R. P. Tennant, Department of Agriculture, and Air J. EMee, Crown Lands .Department, Dunedin, accompanied by Mr J. A. Macpherson, M.P., paid a flying visit to Enfield this afternoon to view the damage caused by Monday’s hailstorm. Although the work of investigation was hampered by the inclemency of the weather, both departmental officers were convinced from a cursory examination of the crops laid waste that the visitation had been of an extremely tense nature and that the severity of the loss suffered warranted the fullest investigation on their part. Mr Tennant frankly admitted that at first he thought the reports had been exaggerated but he now found it was not so .and that the position so far as the farmers affected were concerned was indeed a serious one.

The work of investigation will entail a personal visit <to each farm in the stricken area, which is thirty miles in length and eight to ten miles in width, and in order to facilitate the work of investigation arrangements aTe being made for two other departmental offiers from Dunedin to assist.

The position was quite as bad as had been represented, said Mr Tennant, and warranted thorough examination of the damage suffered with a view to affording relief where possible. Mr. Mee also was astounded to note the extent and severity of 'the storm losses and would co-operate with other departmental officers. He, too, had at first imagined the; reports had, been overstated, but examination now showed that there had been, no exaggeration.