WIDESPREAD RAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27521, 16 October 1950, Page 4

WIDESPREAD RAIN

Welcome Fall Yesterday

RELIEF 'FOR DRY PASTURES

Widespread rain, which fell in most parts of Southland as well as Otago for some hours yesterday, brought welcome relief to farmers who have been experiencing one of the driest seasons in the past 30 years. Not enough rain had fallen at a late hour last night to alleviate fully the position in the country but all pastures were at least freshened and conditions, generally, indicated that further falls might be expected. The heaviest fall throughout Otago was in Dunedin itself, where the rain began about 7 a.m. and continued throughout the day and into the night.

Householders In areas not supplied by reservoir? benefited especially by the fall, for storage tanks, which in most cases had reached dangerously low levels, began to fill steadily, and by midnight some had reached about a-third of their capacity. Both suburban residents and farmers, however, considered that the situation was still serious, and in some districts it was suggested that a week or even a fortnight of steady rain would not be too much.

The earliest fall recorded was in Southland, where the rain began about 5 p.m. on Saturday and continued steadily for the next 24 hour?. This later fell away to a drizzle, but during that period approximately an inch of rain fell. Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. yesterday, about Jin of rain was recorded in Dunedin, but none of the country districts was so fortunate, because the rain generally did not set in until the afternoon. Conditions in Queenstown were humid up till 4.30 p.m., but the wind began to freshen and this was later accompanied by steady rain, which continued during the evening. The change in the weather followed a similar pattern in other of the more remote parts of Central Otago, but at Roxburgh and Ranfurly light showers early in the morning were followed by a steady downpour shortly after midday.

I One of the worst-affected drought , areas—lda Valley—did not receive any rain until late yesterday afternoon, but 1 the fall was still reported to be heavy ■ late last night. It would take many [ more days of heavy rain to solve the , irrigation problem in that area, but c farmers would get some slight relief ■ from yesterday's fall. , The rain which fell in West Otago 1 for about seven hours was welcomed : not only by sheepfarmers, but also ■ by those growing wheat about the > Crookston area. In South Otago it rained for almost 12 hours, and the

sky was still overcast in the evening. This fall was more than sufficient for the low-lying areas, but another day’s rain would be welcomed by pastoralists on the hill country. Farmers in the Middlemarch district expressed similar views when approached by the Daily Times last night. One resident of long standing, though appreciating the rain that had fallen, stated that this seasoti had been the driest he had known since 1914. He hoped that the present wet spell would continue for another day a t lO3St. Similar conditions to those in the city prevailed on the Taieri and the peninsula, and there was also a steady fall at Palmerston and Oamaru. Reports from further inland indicated that in Kurow and surrounding districts the rain was most welcome and that there were prospects of its continuing for some time.