IN THE WAIMEAS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 15 August 1932, Page 4

IN THE WAIMEAS

THE ADVENT OF SPRING ' (From Our Own Correspondent) The steady rain which fell all through the night was exactly what was needed in the country. After a record spell of hard frosts for about six weeks the change is very welcome. During the past fortnight plant life has suffered severely as a result of the heavy frosts combined with dry conditions generally. Now, however, everything is changed, daybreak heralding a spring morning, with masses of mist rolling along the hills and everything dripping with moisture. UNEMPLOYMENT CAMP The men in the unemployment camp at Appleby have maintained steady progressively steady in many cases—with the cutting of the hawthorn hedges, and the work in the Appleby district has now been completed. The camp has now been removed to Pleadingly L'&ne on the western boundary of the Richmond borough. From here a commencement will be made with the hedges in this locality. Many of these are of great size and it will be a long time before the work is completed. A BARE COUNTRYSIDE Never have the Waimeas presented such a bare appearance, and one can now secure an almost uninterrupted view across the plain for ’miles. During the past ten years great numbers of eucalypts, poplars, pines and other introduced trees have been cut down for use, while weeping-willows are suffering from a blight and as a result only show traces" of'their former beauty. Now that the hedges have been cut down the bareness is more in evidence. The many hedges with their masses of delicately scented white blossom will be missed during the coming season.