RAIN NEEDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22398, 20 April 1936, Page 10

RAIN NEEDED

CONCERN IN WAIKATO TOP-DRESSED PASTURES SHOWERS OF LITTLE BENEFIT [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON. Sunday The need for a heavy downpour of rain is being increasingly felt by farmers in the Waikato district, three weeks having elapsed since any rain of consequence has fallen. The rainfall for the month ended 9 a.m. on Friday was only .Olin. Light rain fell yesterday morning and there were further showers in the afternoon, evening and again this morning, but they were not sufficient to be of much benefit.

A good deal of top-dressing and sowing of new pastures has been carried out during the past few weeks and rain is urgently needed for the fertiliser and to germinate the seed. There is as yet no shortage of feed, the farms in the Waikato generally having good pastures and ample supplies of supplementary fodder. Stock is in excellent condition and production shows a marked incrcaso over that of previous years. The prospects for the winter from the point of view of feed are excellent should rain fall soon. CONDITIONS IN AUCKLAND RAIN DURING WEEK-END Wet weather was experienced in Auckland during the week-end, interfering with sports and excursions. A fresh to strong easterly wind was blowing all day on Saturday and the conditions were overcast and threatening. Showers in the evening were followed bv continuous rain during the night. Shortly after midnight the wind decreased to a light bree/.e and afterward changed to the south, and then to the south-west. Toward mid-dav yesterday the weather improved, but conditions were overcast and unsettled. The rainfall for the 48 hours ended at midnight last night, as registered by the Herald gauge, was .33in., of which .03 fell on Saturday and .30iu. yesterday morning. After being above normal and varying very little for over two weeks the barometer commenced falling sharply at mid-day on Saturday. By eight o'clock yesterday morning a fall of ,65in. had been recorded, the reading having dropped to 29.50 in. It remained steady for eight hours and then rose .10in. by midnight last night.