THE DROUGHT IN NORTH CANTERBURY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2668, 13 January 1916, Page 8

THE DROUGHT IN NORTH CANTERBURY

- Mr. Robert Grigor, jirn., of the Government Survey Department, who has I >beeu stationed at Blenheim for the ;.; j past four years, is at present on a visit v to Balclutlia. In conversation with a "Frqo Press" representative, Jlr. Gri- ; rgOl stated that the whole province of 1 Marlborough had been affected by the. : . 'drought,- but_as it is mainly a country i of sheep stations there had been 110 di- ■: root loss so far. Just before lie left to ! come south, however, the wool kings ivero becoming uneasy, owing to the ex- ; ; t-ossive shrinkage of all the.' -water-, i courses.'-,and for the first time there was a danger of the water supply giving ;■ /■out.- occurs there Will be heavy ! losses. • 'Sheep can get along with a !''t surprisingly small quantity of herbage, , i hut once the water : gives out it is a ; (' case with them. While travelling . ; yiihrotigh North Canterbury Mr. Grigor , was struck with the parched appearance I'of tho'country, not a single green blado to be seen,;and the whole countryside .'looking brown as a desert.' As the train ;■ . journeyed south the appearance of tho • }countr.v began to improve, until-in the ! vicinity of Oaruaru the fields assumed their normal appearance of green. Otago, ; • and especially South Otago, struck, him as the "banner" province. There the fields were brilliantly, green, and the ■whole countryside a scene of: smiling ; '■-l plenitude. .