THE SEASON.

Northern Advocate, 3 December 1921, Page 4

THE SEASON.

That never-failing topic of conversation, the weather, is, no dojibt, working just as much overtime at present as it. has ever had to do, but even if it is in danger of exhaustion it is satisfactory to know that it will be a case of '' killed by kindness." For just now everyone has a good word to say for , the weather. In the North we have been experiencing a most pleasant, and favourable spring. A drier winter than usual left us in some anxiety for the future, but throughout the spring the rains have fallen in sufficient volume and with adequate frequency. The result is that tho whoie countryside wears a charming appearance and the primary industries, which are entirely dependent upon the season for their j wellbeing, arc achieving much success Our fine dairying industry is producing more butterfat than it done before, and of the q'j.i'.ity of tha pioduce and care with which it is manufactured the results of the competitions at the Auckland show yesteflay gavo ample evidence. It is very gratifyingto learn that the best butter was that exihibited by the Whangar<„.- Dairy Company, that two more Northern factories, Waipu and Hikurangi, beat all the rest of the entrants from the whole of the Auckland province and the King Country, and that an exhibit from the Northern Wairoa also gained a place of honour. This Tecord speaks well for those engaged in tho staple industry of this district as well as for the beneficence of this season's climatic conditions. North Auckland, of course, has had no monopoly of favourable weather during the past i few months. The dairy industry has been making great strides in Taranaki, the output for the first three months of the season having exceeded anything previously known. From the South come most

pleasing Teports concerning the grain crops. They have made excellent growth under the l>cst possible conditions, .and there is good -ground for hoping that this season will produce o-

bumper harvest. New Zealand is in far better case than the great agricultural, anil pastoral counties of the Old World were a fow months ago, when heat and drought robbed the tillers of the sod of the full fruits of their labours. The English summer was one without parallel, beginning early and extending far into the autumn. An old school aong of Harrow used .to declare that "October brings the cold weather down, when the wind and the rain continue," but the cold weather of "chill October" was this year represented by blazing sunshine and scorching heat. Or. October 5 London roasted in a j shade temperature of 84 degrees, the . highest recorded in that month in eighty years, the period during which official records have been kept. All over the country great heat was experienced for the better part of a fortnight. Football became impossible, the upper reaches of the Thames were as crowded with boating parties as they had been in the height of summer, bathers thronged all the sea beaches, and all the delights of "flaming June" were renewed. The effect of the weather on trees was remarkable. Following light Tadns some weeks carlior, they all put out fresh leaves, many of the fruit trees blossomed a second time, and, for the first time in memory, the famous chestnuts at Hampton Court were clothed in an autumn crop of bloom. It was an extraordinary finish to a season which had been unique oy reason of its uncomparablc warmth and sunniness. Those people an this country who are never content with the gifts the gods send them are inclined to prophesy that we also shall experience an exceptionally hot and trying summer. Our friend Mr Wragge perhaps would tell them that there is no reason why the conditions that liave prevailed on the other side of the world should be repeated here; bht in any case it is only the very timid and the constitutionally pessimistic who ?an find satisfaction in such predictions of gloom. Most of us are able to be happy •in the favourable circumstances in which we find ourselves now. Nature is still robed in her freshest spring clothes, and we can continue to be glad.