BENEFIT TO PASTURES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 113, 9 April 1930, Page 8

BENEFIT TO PASTURES

rain during night. WELCOMED BY FARMERS. Drought conditions which had |n.vailed tor a month were broken i, ; . steady soaking rain which began to i, at about noon yesterday. The rein in" downpour brought to an end u. period of exceptional dryness, i-urinei irreetecl the rain and tile benefits n brought with pleasure, and there were few who did not welcome a change m the conditions which had become monotonous by their regularity. After falling steadily for sever;, hours, the . downpour lessened u> .. drizzle, but lost night there w;. another soaking fall which could no: have failed to have had a stimulatiw, effect on the parched and withered growth evident everywhere Ike amount of ram which had fallen up until this morning was described a being very beneficial and enough to penetrate the ground to the extent wanted to invigorate grass and plant further rain fell early the morning, the weather cleared later and by noon was quite fine again, though threatening. The rainfall recorded by Mr T. If. Moore of “Waimarama, up to nine o’clock this . morning was 65 points. The record at Tiritea up to the same hour was 64 points. Kairanga farmers stated to-day that the fall had been a wonderful rebel. Everything looked bright and nice and pastures were already taking on quite a green tinge. TIRITEA DAM. RESERVOIR FILLING UP. The Mayor informed a “Standard' 1 reporter that advices from Tiritea this morning were satisfactory. The level of water in the reservoir had risen five and a-lialf inches overnight and more water was flowing in than was being drawn off so that it was anticipated that a considerable improvement would be effected during the day. 'Jim water was still 20 inches below the lip of the dam this morning. GOOD FALL AT SANSON. (Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, April 9. For the first time since early in March rain fell in Feilding yesterday and, although at first it appeared as iif the fall \yould be of little value, it set in heavier in the afternoon to commence again in the early hours oi this morning. It must prove beneficial to pastures and gardens alike, although it was far from giving a thorough soaking to the sun-parched ground. Farmers and residents at Sanson yesterday were more fortunate, tho rainfall there lasting from about 11 aim. to late in the afternoon, the fall increasing in intensity as the day wore on to assume goodly proportions in the afternoon. Householders’ tanks will have been replenished by the fall, but the countryside will require much more rain before the burnt up appearance of the pastures is dissipated and the fresh green of growing grass appears. FALL AT BULLS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) BULLS, April 9. Yesterday’c downfall of rain was very welcome here. Pastures were very dry, and many persons were carrying- water for domestic purposes. Small streams and lagoons had (temporarily) ceased to exist, and those who are looking forward to the. opening of the shooting season were wondering where they were likely to find game thus year. RAIN' AT WANGANUI. WANGANUI, April 8. After a prolonged spell of dry weather, rain commenced in the early morning, and by 8.30 a.m. there was a heavy downpour, which continued until nearly 12 noon. The weather cleared considerably as the day went on. Not nearly enough rain fell to do much good to the pastures, winch have not looked so brown and dry for many years. DOWNPOUR AT WAIPUKURAU. Per Press Association. WAIPUKURAU, April 8. A heavy thunderstorm, accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning, followed by a torrential downpour of' rain, struck Waipukurau and district this afternoon. The parched nature of the ground was unable to absorb the phenomenal downpour. The storm-water drains could not cope with the water, which backed up and entered several shops, inundating tlie streets in the lower portion of the town. No serious damage was doqe. The countryside will benefit greatly. Lightning struck the magneto of a service car travelling between Napier and Palmerston North, and the vehicle became helpless. It was towed nearly a mile to a garage in Waipukurau.