Central N.I. Farmers Face Serious Position

Chronicle (Levin), 15 April 1948, Page 5

Central N.I. Farmers Face Serious Position

Press Association)

(Per

WANGANUI, April 16. daught in .the grip -of a drottght, Which in ^some districtS is the worst since their original _ settlementj farihers over the wide belt of hill country riimiing from the Turakina Valley, acro^s Hunterville and Rewa, to the vicinity of Kim-' bolton today face -a very serious position. " , RUn cows have alrea'dy dik-d not far from Ohingaiti, .while sheep at seversl points are ieported to haye developed the staggers disease as ' result of the prolonged period or feeding on nothing but dried up \ pasture. About Hunterville residents of , close on 50 years' standing say they have never seen a 'drought to equal ; the one this 3'ear. From north of tliat area, at Mangaweka, a farmer ■ who has been 40 years in the district said the position had never been worse. \ . While the position is not as bad for sheep as for cattle. the outlook for the latter this winter is eXceedingly grim throughout this section of the country, which has beeome a drought belt. Farmers there were faced with th« necessity of' redueing their holdings of cattle on the . market, which is already showing signs of falling. This reduction of herds is cc-mplicated by the shortage of railway- cattle trucks, whieh have already been sent to the Waikato in large numbers with stock sold to that area. ' =>