DROUGHT BROKEN UP.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 12018, 20 August 1907, Page 4

DROUGHT BROKEN UP.

Timaru, August 19. The long drought has broken up. Tihs afternoon rain started to fall lightly early^in the afternoon but nol till between four and five b'cloc_ did it set in Stehdily. From then on s a heavy downpour has continued, , with a steady wind from the south- ' west. If the rain continues for a few ' r hours longer it will do a vast amounl 3 of fgood to the pastures and dairy I operations generally. The . autumn and winter were so dry that all the j creeks and all the smaller rivers rac dry, and water has had to be carted for miles. Oaniaru, August 19. Heavy rains, the best for the past two years, have fallen in this district, the ground being well saturated along the coast. The raii. started about eight o'clock on Sunday night, and has continued to the - present time. The back parts of the , district were, however, not touched, 1 and the rain - makiDg detachment r visited the stations where it was in- . tended to explode the dynamite and 3 gancottcn. When a favorable oppor- . tunity occurred 3 or 4 shots were i lied, and it is said that these were . followed by rain. It, however, may be explained . that the wind, which had previously been blowing from the north- east, veered to the southeast, carrying the coast rain clouds over the dry country to the hills beyond. The experiments therefore determine nothing so far as to the use of explosives for rain-making are concerned. About two inches of rain had fallen in a district about, five miles from the locality o_ the explosions before tbey took place. , It is intended to make further experiment at the next favorable opportunity.