Unseasonable Weather

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 12, 28 December 1926, Page 5

Unseasonable Weather

Grain and Grass Crops Affected DRYING WINDS WANTED. REPORTS FROM OTHER CENTRES. The unseasonable weather experienced during the Christmas season is likely to do serious damage io the various crops which were in process of harvesting. A combination of heat and moisture is the most damaging to grain and grass s»ed. when in stook or cock prior to threshing, in that it is liable, if not followed by a drying wind within a reasonable time, to make the seed swell and. in extreme cases‘to shoot, making it useless for seed purposes. The weather, however, to-day is giving evidence of relenting and if this should prove a fact and a good drying wind follows then the damage done to the stooks will be comparatively negligible. There is a very considerable area of grass and grain crop in process of harvesting at, present, and it is to be hoped that this will not be irreparably damaged. A moderate amount of rain, it followed by good drying weather will, at worst, discolour the seed, and this is frequently not considered detrimental to grass seed at any rate. The rain, is likely to do much good to rape crops, which should now be an assured success, and clover growth will also be greatly stimulated. As a result there should bo ample suitable feed to top off lambs which have not been got away fat from the mothers, y As the soil has had little reserve of moisture, very little of the continuous and well distributed rain has failed to soak in, surface water being little in evidence in spite of tlie quantity of rain which has fallen. As a result of this springs and streams, on which our fanners' depend for water for stock will be replenished. The stock market, when sales resume, should show n considerable tendency to firm as ample feed for the summer and good autumn growth are now assured, and though one sympathises with those unfortunates who have crops in the field awaiting harvesting, the downpour is likely to do an infinitely greater amount of good than hann to the district ns a whole. THE RAINFALL. For the 96 hours (including Friday Saturday. Sunday and Monday) ended at 9 a.m. this morning, the rainfall in Hastings registered 3.98 inches. The rainfall for 1926 to date measures 26.90m5. According to information supplied by Mr. C. L. Thomas 1.45 inches of rain fell at Napier for the 18 hours ending at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. A further 55 points fell during Sunday and yesterday’s" fall was 46 points, making a total of 2.46 points since Thursday last. ESK RIVER IN FLOOD. Owing to tho heavy rains during the weekend, the Esk River at Pctane yesterday was in high flood, there being two feet of water over the Na-pier-Gisborne road, near Siugh’s store, and "all traffic had to take the road over the hill. About 5 o ’clock the waters began to recede and to-day the road was open for traffic. MARLBOROUGH LOSSES. Blenheim, Dec. 28. Heavy driving rain fell throughoout the holidays, spoiling all outdoor plans. Rivers were higu and caused anxiety for a while. Crops everywhere on heavy land are reported to be beaten down by heavy rain. THUNDERSTORM AT ROTORUA. Rotorua, Dec. 28. The heaviest thunderstorm for many years was felt yesterday with hail and rain. Two and a half inches of rain has fallen but the weather is clearing. TAURANGA’S EXPERIENCE. Tauranga, Dec. 28. The weather over Xmas, was the worst ever experienced. Rain commenced on Tuesday night of last week and continued almost without intermission until Sunday afternoon, but fortunately Xmas. Eve was comparatively fine. On Xmas. Day there was a continuous downpour and a thunder storm on Sunday morning, followed by a fine afternoons Yesterday was fine until 4 o’clock when a heavy thunderstorm brought more rain. To-day is fine but dull.' WAITEMATA COUNTY SUFFERS. BRIDGE CARRIED AWAY. Auckland, Dec. 27. Roads in the vicinity of Waitakere, Kumeu, Waibauku and, Swanson suffered severely from flooding yesterday and se.veral bridges in the Waitemata county were damaged. A bridge on the Sw’anson-Heleiisville road was carried away shortlv after midnight, following a cloudburst in the afternoon, causing logs to dam the water at the bridge until it was unable to resist the strain. The Kemeu post office had four feet of water in it at the height of the flood. On Sunday morning Miss Barnes, postmistress, swam to the office through five feet of water to secure the casli box and books, and found the switch-board thrown out of commission. The storm has completely isolated hundreds of holiday-makers and invalids at the Parakai (Helensville hot springs district). Last night 50 cars were reported to be held up between Helensville and Auckland, some en route to the city and some to health resorts. Nearly a foot of water fell in the Waitakere ranges last week, establishing a new record lor that locality. The total fall on Saturday is estimated at the huge volume of eight indies. When the gauge was read on Saturday it was revealed that the week's rainfall amounted to 11.82 inches, compared with 11.37 in the fourth week of May this year, when the previous record was made and the water supply to the city cut oil’ through breaks in the main. The rainfall tor the year on the ranges is over 94 inches. At the Motulara Domain, at Muriwai, a new dressing-shed mid conveniences and Foster’s store have all disappeared and their old site is now a gulf varying from 14 yards to a chain across. There is a gully 25 feet in

depth, along which a steady stream is rushing to the sea. The road approach to the beach is completely washed away. Several campers whose tents became untenable early on Sunday morning took refuge in the dressingshod and would have been washed out to sea with the building but for the timely action of watchers, who noticed that a recently erected stopbank was breaking away and at once roused the sleepers. GISBORNE GETS ITS SHARE. Gisbcrne, Dec. 27. During the Christmas holiday’s bad weather was experienced in Poverty Bay. rain falling consistently throughout Saturday and Sunday, with occasional showers to-day. Rivers and creeks in the Waianu district are running high and cars experience difficulty in getting through to Ruatoria and further north. Car traffic between Gisborne and Motu is impossible owing to the bad,state of the Otoko hill Yesterday and to-da- rough seas played havoc with the hulk the Monowai, which was sunk at Wareongaonga on December 17 to form a breakwater to secure stone for the harbour works in Gisborne. Heavy seas washed half the Monowai away, leaving the bow with a bad list.