THE WEATHER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19987, 20 December 1934, Page 14

THE WEATHER

To the Editor of “ The Timaru Herald ” Sir.—Half an inch of rain, this week, would undoubtedly prove very beneficial to South Canterbury, although a sheep farmer assures me that another week of fair weather will cause no inconvenience. Dairy farmers, however, hold a different opinion, and. owing to diminishing feed and the painfully low prices obtainable for butterfat, are less favourably situated. They are the people whom a drought hits the hardest. as the prices for their produce is controlled by the English market which at the present time is much below par. The next movement must tend to an improvement in prices early in 1935, so that by husbanding their resources success will ultimately crown their efforts. Should this month prove to be the driest instead of the wettest month of the twelve, permit me to remind all concerned of the resultant exceptional danger from fires. The grass, which everywhere is unusually abundant, will quickly wither, so that a fire, carelessly or accidentally started, may defy all available methods to extinguish it. If any burning off is to be done, do it while it can be easily controlled. To expedite the work, use a kerosene blow lamp. A longhandled shovel is an efficient beater and handy for burning a fire-break, of limited width, in any desired direction. —I am etc. C. H. MASON. Timaru, December 13.