THE CANTERBURY DROUGHT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2678, 26 January 1916, Page 8

THE CANTERBURY DROUGHT

MORE SERIOUS THAN PEOPLE THINK. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 25. A journey was recently made through Canterbury by the Prime Minister in order to examine personally the effects of the drought that has continued for two years. The conditions ivhich lie observed wero described by Mr. Massey to-night. "The drought in Canterbury is much more serious than many people in the North Island can possibly imagine," said Mr. Massey. "It-seems extraordinary that in this island there lias been even more than the normal amount of rain taking the island as a whole, and that in Southland the season is . probably the best in the last 25 years, yet in Canterbury during the past two years there has never been sufficient rain 'to soak the soil thoroughly. "Some idea of the seventy of the drought may be gained from the fact that in many places, and especially in South Canterbury, we saw trees 30 and 40 years old that were dying because there was not sufficient moisture in the soil to keep theni alive. That cereal crops are not up to the average is not' to oe wondered at, the.wonder is that the wheat crops have done so well, and it goes to prove that with proper cultivation, oven in a dry period, fairly good results can bo obtained. Contrary to the usual expericnco cats will not yield as many bushels per (tore as wheat, tho former cereal being more geverely affected by the drought than the other. 'Die deficiency in oats so far as Canterbury is concerned it likely to bo counterbalanced by a very hea/vy crop, which is almost ready for harvesting in Southland." "Farmers are taking the position very philosophically," said Mr. Massey, "but it goes almost without saying that in many cases the balancc for.the pies-' ent year will be on the wrong'Gide."