Canterbury Welcomes Much-Needed Rain

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6788, 20 February 1932, Page 5

Canterbury Welcomes Much-Needed Rain

ACUTE SHORTAGE OF GREEN FEED FOR STOCK Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Christchurch has had its first wet d-D since October 24. Light rain began to fall this morning and continued ceaselesslv all day, and to-night steady rain is still falling. The total precipitation in' Christchurch was about half ®n inch. The rain would have been of incalculable benefit two months ago; even one month ago. It will still bo the greatest possible boon to the country. There have been infrequent light showers, giving a few points of rain, in parts of Canterbury during this month, and some districts, notably those nearer the foothills, have had recent falls of as much as two inches, but for % wide tract of tho Canterbury plains this rain is the breaking of the long drought. If the rains come more frequently for tho next two months there is still hope that there may be a fair growth of pasture for winter feed. The position on somo dairy farms near the city has been desperate recently, as the farmers have been compelled to use a large part of their hay, saved in tho early summer and normally held for winter use. Tho lack of pasture lias been so serious that sheep have died of starvation in some districts whero tho pastures have completely given out.