WELCOME RAIN

Opunake Times, 19 August 1932, Page 2

WELCOME RAIN

COUNTRYSIDE DRENCHED. RIVERS IN FLOOD. The whole of the Opunake district was drenched with rain early in the week when from midnight on Monday till daybreak Tuesday morning, it poured without a break. Thunder crashed incessantly and vivid 'flashes of lightning illuminated the countryside. Owing to the dry spell experienced locally during the past few weeks the Waiau and Te Namu rivers soon flooded, the former presenting a great scene. This rise in the river will be a great - help to the local electrical power station as the lake had reached a very low level. The rain will have a wonderful effect on pastures and should result in a great growth of grass. Many places in North Taranaki were in actual danger of being flooded out, but although very heavy the downpour did not' reach such proportions in this part of the province. The following statement by a Hamilton resident shows that apparently the Waikato was in a bad way forthe want of rain. He says: "It is many, many years since we have seen the land so dry and mellow at this period of the year, as a result of the long dry spell and severe frosts, and, indeed, it is a long time sinqeil have*teen the pastures so show over «uch a large area of country. With the warm rain such as yfl are receiving, feed should (Me away very rapidly, and eveMindicat-,, ion is for a rapid groMh and a#* early spring." W ■