THE DROUGHT IN OTAGO.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13057, 17 March 1911, Page 4

THE DROUGHT IN OTAGO.

COUNTRY DENUDED OF STOCK

(Special to "The Colonist.")

Christchurch, March 16. Ne.ver before* lias North Otago experienced so continuous, so general, so desolating a drought as that which now has the parched and cracked throat of the whole district clamouring for cooling draughts everywhere/. Tlie eye is wearied by the monotony of dun-coloured earth where were wont to be green fields. As the result of the paucity of rain during several years the grasses have become impoverished, and there are now many old fields in which tho pasture has died right out. The face of the country is a. desert of dust, the only visual distinction between the roadlino and the lea land is the boundary fencer. Naturally, then, the stock is in a sorry plight, and equally naturally pa-storal-ists have disencumbered themselves of the responsibility of their chargas so far as the demands of the market will permit. A canvass of the stock firms in town gives the Oamaru "Mail" authority for stating that not less than 150,000 store sheep have baen railed away from North Otafro within the past two months. These include lambs which in the past have gone away as fats, but which had this year to be finished off elsewhcire. There is also among the number a large proportion of ewes, which, when the climate becomes normal again and feed reappears, will have to be re-purchased. Fortunately until recently feed in parts of Canterbury and Southland has been plentiful, and the demand for sheep was good, so that selling has not entailed an absolute* sacrifice; but the farmer who has had to get rid of his young ewes can hardly expect to re-stock without considerable loss now that the scarcity of feed is general. It is difficult to find a market at all. The owner of cattle is in even a worse plight than the sheep man, for he caw find no market whatever for his cows except as potters at the sales. Good -cdws out of profit realise the handsome sum of ss, and the poorer animals are worth the value of the hideV The exodus of this class of stock"is unprecedented, and the district is poorer by not less than 1000 head of cattle; in fact the country i 8 becbtning almost denuded of stock.