PASTURES DRIED UP

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22246, 15 January 1944, Page 4

PASTURES DRIED UP

SURVEY OF DOMINION SERIOUS POSITION FACED (By Telejrrnpli.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday The extent and effect of the continued dry spell throughout New Zealand are clearly outlined in reports received from supervising meat graders by the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. These reports, which are for the week ended January 8, since when there has been no improvement, indicate the serious position facing producers. Conditions are reported by the graders to be becoming very serious in the Auckland district, but have not yet reached a desperate stage. Pastures are dried up and rain is badly needed. The holding of lambs for extra weight has been a failure in this district. The position in Taranaki and the west coast of the North Island is serious, little or no rain having fallen for weeks and drying winds having been almost continuous over the past fortnight or so. It is the driest summer Taranaki has experienced for years. It is reported that areas as far north as Taumarunui are also very dry. Generally feed is fairly plentiful, but it is dry feed and therefore not good for lamb fattening. Conditions in Hawke’s Bay There has been another week of very hot weather in Poverty Bay and Hawke’s Bay, worse than anything experienced so far this summer, and even the nights are hot. This is going to stop all growth of feed and very soon will burn up what feed there is; in fact, Hawke’s Bay is looking burned up already. Wairoa arrd Poverty Bay are not so burned up as Hawke’s Bay, but it is dry in both those districts. In Manawatu and the Wairarapa the weather has continued hot and dry and pasture is drying off. Conditions in Mid-Canterbury and North Canterbury are still very hot and dry. Feed for stock is scarce and rapidly drying up. This is noticeable from some lines of lambs that have come forward for killing and also in the fat lamb pens at the Addington sale. Otago and Southland oveb the holidays had fairly changeable condi-i tions. Although rain fell on several occasions there was not enough to do much good, as very hot days followed. A good fall of rain is badly wanted, especially in the hill country, as it is beginning to look very diy. Farmers are killing off*lines of lambs that are definitely not ready.