MORE RAIN NEEDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22000, 5 January 1935, Page 8

MORE RAIN NEEDED

SHOWERS IN PROVINCE

PASTURES OF WAIKATO VERY LITTLE BENEFIT FARMERS' TANKS REPLENISHED [from OUR OWN" correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday Further showers of rain fell in Hamilton early this morning, but the sky cleared toward mid-day and disappointed the hopes of a steady rainfall to benefit pastures. At 9 a.m. to-day the rainfall for tlio month was .94in., the fall for the previous 24 hours being ,27in. Although the showers that have fallen have been heavy, none has been of long enough duration to give the ground the thorough soaking so badly needed. The opinion that the rain so far will have very little effect in increasing the growth of grass, was expressed to-day by Mr. C. J. Parlane, general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited. The rain would certainly replenish tanks and springs, he said, but if the bright sunshine that prevailed this afternoon continued, the result would merely be that the young grass which had sprung up as a result of the rain would be scorched. In his opinion, a continuance of dull, showery weather for a week or ten days would be necessary to offset, to some extent, the effects of the dry spell. Even a sharp fall of one or two inches, followed by sunshine, would not he very beneficial at this time of the year. At mid-winter and mid-summer the grass did not grow naturally and specially favourable conditions would bo needed to overcome the effects of the dry spell; Although the rainfall in the Waikato during November and December was much below the average, this has had no noticeable effect on the Waikato River r which has maintained its average summer level. Consequently there is no reason to fear that the town water supply, which is drawn from the river, will be affected, or that there will be difficulty in navigation. Experience has proved that the river reaches its lowest level in February. The apparent cause of the present satisfactory level is a more bountiful rainfall in the higher reaches. FALL AT PTJKEKOHE HALF-AN-JNCH THIS YEAR [from our own correspondent] PUKEKOHE, Friday There was & fairly heavy shower at Pukekohe last night, and the total fall of rain since the weather broke on Tuesday is now approximately half-an-incli. To-day has been fine. Further rain would be verv welcome.

CROPS AT TAURANGA SWEDES AND MAIZE BENEFIT [by telegraph OWN correspondent] TAURANGA, Friday

A further .7in. of rain was registered in Tauranga for the 24 hours ended at 9.30 a.m. to-day, making a total of l.Olin. for the past three days. Swede and maize crops will benefit appreciably, but there is practically no growth as yet on the parched pastures. The lucerne stands and paspalum arc making excellent growth. The total rainfall at Tauranga in 1934 was 52.11 in., which fell on 144 days. The rainfall in 1933 was 49.85 in. Last year's fall was the highest since 1928, when 61*99 in. fell. The wettest month of 1934 was February, with 8.37 in., And the driest month was March, with l.Slin. The greatest, fall in one day occurred on June 19, when 3.75 in. were recorded. The rainfall for December was 2.27 in., compared with the December average of 3.99 in. WET YEAR IN NORTH HEAVIEST RAINFALL IN DECADE [by telegraph—OWN* correspondent] KAIKOHE, Friday Last year was the wettest year and December the wettest month in the Kaikohe district since regular official records were first taken in 1923. The rainfall for the 12 months ended December 31 was 80.74 in., compared with the average taken over the 12-year period of 60.43 in. The year that most nearly approached last year in rainfall was 1924, when 73.92 in. fell. The driest year for the same period was 1925, when there was a fall of 49.20 in. In December, 1934, the rainfall was 24in., as against 0.92 in. in December, 1933. The sum of the total fall for December in the previous eleven years amounts to onlv 29.20 in.