NEED FOR RAIN.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19462, 29 December 1934, Page 4

NEED FOR RAIN.

POSITION IN WAIKATO. depleted water supplies. EFFECT ON*DAIRY PRODUCTION.; With the rainfall during the past) two months very much below the average for this time of the year, and prospects for rain apparently as far off as ever, a serious situation is arising in the farming districts of Waikato, ri'lie continued dry spell is affecting pastures, and unless rain comes in the near future many farmers will 'be faced with dry, burned crops, and depleted water supplies. The water problem has already become acute in. some districts, and there have been (frequent instances of settlers having to cart water from beyond their farms for 'their stock. Those relying on rain water tank supply have suffered most in this respeot. While there have been scattered showers 'during the last two months they have been of little benefit, as the fall was insufficient to affect the position. A heavy thunderstorm about a fortnight ago afforded a measure of relief in the Cambridge district, and adjacent areas, but this has since been largely off-set by 'the hot, dry days following.

Decrease In Production. The continued dry weather has been the principal contributing factor in a diminutjrin of dairy production in the last two months. An appreciable, decline in butter-fat production has been experienced in ’many districts, and in some parts dairy cows are stated to be drying off rapidly. From a hay-making point of view the weather has been ideal. Heavy crops, resulting from a prolific spring growth, have been but under ideal conditions, and the green feed, drying quiokly under the blazing sun, has produced excellent hay. The continued fine weather has enabled niany farmers to complete their haymaking much earlier* this year than would • normally be the case, and 'throughout the district large stacks have been made. Compantively few hay paddocks remain to be cut. The last occasion upon which rain was recorded in Hamilton was on December 18, when a very light fall, totalling .07in was experienced. Pre- ' vious to that there had been no rain since November 22, and then the fall u . was almost negligible. At present there ■*. are no indications that rain willy fall. In the near future. To-day the barometer reads 30-15, with a rising tendency, while yesterday the reading: was 30.10. A Serious Setback. “I have been fourteen years in this district, and I have never, In that time, seen the dairy farmers receive such a setback as'they have experienced this season, from the continued dry weather, i " said Mr E. Runnerstrum, governing director of the Waikato Val-. ley Dairy Company, Limited. In consequence of the dry spell, butterfat production had fallen faster since the end of November than in any previous season he had known. Over a period of years the highest point of production had been about the third week of ' ■ December, but this year the peak was reached in the last week of 'November, and since then a decline had set in. “W did not have a flush,” added Mr Runnerstrum. “It is the most serious decline I have seen, and it is largely accounted for-by the failure of the . usual November rains to eventuate.” A rise in’ the price of milk if the existing conditions continued was predited by Mr Runnerstrum.