DROUGHT BROKEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 53, 5 March 1946, Page 5

DROUGHT BROKEN

WIDESPREAD RAIN FIRE HAZARD REDUCED (PA.) Wellington, March 4. Most parts of the North Island had fairly substantial falls o.f rain during the week-end, breaking the drought which in some districts has extended over many weeks. An official of the State Forest Service said to-day Vat the rains had brought considerable improvement in the fire hazard position which had caused so much anxiety over most of the country. There was, however, still the possibility that if the weather cleared and winds rose smouldering logs might burst into flames again, and patrols would be continued until such danger was past. Practically the whole of the central and eastern districts of the North Island averaged half an inch of rain during the week-end. In some parts Hie fall was over 3in. Tokaanu had slightly over 3in. on Saturday and Sunday, and Taupo over liin. The Wairarapa district benefited from heavy falls, Masterton having over 3in. tind Casllepoint slightly more than 4in. Hawke's Bay had over lin. at some points, and the Auckland and Waikato districts also had useful falls. Light falls were registered in Taranaki, where drought conditions have not been as severe as elsewhere, and most of North Auckland had about a quarter-inch of rain. Rainfall had been patchy in the Manawatu district but most places have had useful falls. At Kelburn the reading for the tlireeday period to 9 a.m. to-day was almost half an inch. Tile rain in Marlborough and Nelson came a day earlier than that in the North Island. There have been light falls in the sheltered parts of Marlborough, but all the rest ot the South Island has had useful rain. In a number- of places in Canterbury, North Canterbury, and the West Coast, over an inch of rain has been recorded, and the Nelson district has had falls of about half an inch.

Further shower's are expected on the East Coast of the North Island and north of Banks Peninsula, also possibly over the Auckland Peninsula. Over the rest of the Dominion generally fair conditions are expected.