Farmers’ Fears of Drought Allayed

Northland Age, Volume IX, Issue 16, 28 November 1939, Page 1

Farmers’ Fears of Drought Allayed

Farmers in the Mangonui County received a welcome surprise on Saturday morning when the leaden skies resolved into rain which fell continuously until late Sunday afternoon, the fall recorded being 3.06 inches — 2.48 on Saturday and .58 on Sunday. This rainfall has actually given the farmers a fresh start for the forthcoming hot summer months, and the value of the downfall for hay for winter fodder is incalculable as the growth which has been retarded during the recent long dry spell will now come away fast. Dairy farmers on the hill country have suffered most from the miniature drought, while their brethren on the flats although not being affected to the same extent were nevertheless expecting a loss in butterfat yield within a very short time and were becoming more or less resigned to a repetition of last year. Even with the 3.06 inches of rain which fell during the weekend the majority of the farmers are of the opinion that another 2 inches would be most acceptable as the fall had really only penetrated the hard erast. As a result of the fall the rivers rose and flooding occurred in parts of the county but r.ot to the extent of seriously disrupting traffic. Snelgar’s road and Clough’s road, two byroads near the Double-Crossing at Pamapuria were impassable from 1 p.m. on Sunday to Sunday night, but the main highway wr.s no!: affected there. It is reported that at Lake Ohia on the Awanui-Mangonui highway, water crossed the road, and floods were also reported at Peria and Oruaiti.