LACK OF WATER IN NORTH AUCKLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23767, 15 March 1939, Page 4

LACK OF WATER IN NORTH AUCKLAND

DRY SPELL PERSISTS FOR TWO MONTHS (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, March 14. Lack of water for farms, gardens and households will become a major problem in the far north, unless the dry spell which has persisted for fully two months is broken by a downpour of rain. Even the hardy paspalum pastures have suffered from the protracted dry spell and, wilted by the blazing sun, they provide scant feed for stock. In some of the areas affected, the Mangonui and Kaitaia districts, the position is becoming serious. In the Mangonui area the tanks are in some cases depleted and even streams which usually carry an abundant supply of water are running at lower levels. Dairy production is dropping rapidly and while light showers have recently fallen, they were little more than sufficient to lay the dust on the country roads. Probably the area most affected is comparatively newly-developed country between Awanui and Tekao, while farmers in the Fairburn district have also suffered. Household tanks serving many homesteads are empty and in addition to driving stock several miles to the nearest streams farmers are obliged to obtain their domestic supplies from the same sources. Dry conditions have also prevailed in the Bay of Islands, but a dairying authority said that the farming districts had suffered less than might be expected. The supply was dropping, but not so rapidly as might be imagined when the length of time without heavy rain was realized.