MOMONA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3316, 3 October 1917, Page 27

MOMONA.

September 29.—As I write this evening the country presents a desolate appearance. Southwards and westwards, as far as one can see, the plain is a vast expanse of water. Though the flood this week did not coma upon us with the rapidity of the last one, at the end of May, and amnle time was afforded for removing stock to higher country, s+ill the losses which have been sustained in other directions are much greater; indeed, the losses- which accrued as a result of the last flood, though regarded as serious enough at the time, were infinitesimal compared with the losses which have been sustained upon the present occasion. In the majority of instances cows are in full milk at the present time, and those farmers whose ground is practically all submerged have been hard put to it to know what to do with their cattle. In some cases a system of billeting has been introduced. Those farmers who are fortunate enough to possess-some dry ground have taken in a few of their neighbours’ cows, and are milking them until such time as the owners are able to have them home again. In this way the flow of milk is maintained. and no injury results to *l«e cows. At the southern end of the plain few of the farmers have any dry ground at all, and there the position with regard to the milking cows must be very difficult. A good many farmers in this locality had just completed sowing wheat, and in some instances potatoes were planted. These will be destroyed where they are submerged, and as it will probablv be several- weeks before the water goes off there will be no time for resowing. The loss thus involved in the failure to get crops sown will be very severe. There is also a grave danger that the grass, which was promising to be exceptionally good, will be destroyed when the water goes off. On whole,' the position in this locality is very serious for the farmers. The rents and drainage rates are so abnormally high that, >vhen seasons such as the present occur.

farmers, ora severely fianclicapped. Still, it if marvellous to consider the fortitude with which most of them meet difficulties such as the present. They are not despairing. “Their work swept away by disaster, Undaunted, they build it again.”

Feeling- ig rather bitter against the Drainage Board for Iho dilatory methods adopted by it in connection with the work of repairing the breach in the river embankment at Otokia. It is felt that if some serious effort had been made to carry out repairs without such long delay the present situation might have been averted. To-day the weather has been beautifully fihe, and the water on tire river side of the Momona-Otokia road has receded slightly; but on the other side of the road there has as yet been no fall. The water is still running through the cross-cut from Duck Creek, and filling up the low ground on the western side ci the plain.