THE DROUGHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 197, 15 May 1919, Page 5

THE DROUGHT

.-,'- ——* — ■' HAWKE'S BAY'S SERIOUS PLIGHT AUCKLAND. AISQ'SUFPBRING .il h lf i J OUS i h . t in fiaw te's Bay shows no -sign of breaking, and fanners'are threatfw,k th ■■^ ayy IOS 3of st °ck' Even shrubs.are being used as fodder in some parts, i Warm rams are wanted to preserve the stock which is suffering in condition so much that cold weather would aggravate tho present state of nflairs as far as mortality and destruction ot sheep go'. . ' A well-known ;agont, whose dailv task takes him through much of the country, States that he has never seen tho cou'ntry look so bad. The country-side in eomo districts is almost as bare as the roads that traverse them. Somo of thu stock is being sent to the works for boiling down purposes.. In reference to tho serious losses of Btock which are threatening, Mr. H. M. Uimpbell has mado another appeal to the government to relieve the congestion at the freezing works.. He has sent the following telegram to the Minister- ,in Charge- of Imperial Supplies :—"Can we somehow impress upon you that the farmers positton here is desperate. It cannot ,be overstated, sheep already being boiled down and many cattle must die of . starvation this winter. Before allotting space elsewhere could you send representatives to inspect and inquire and thus satisfy, yourself that no district in the .nonunion can be,so hard pressed. Season here the worst ever experienced." It may be- mentioned that'for several days half a sheep, good quality meat, was sold for half. a crown to three and! " mf • at tna freezing works at Westshore. I .ittis was stopped, however, when the i plan was abused by men buyine large : quantities of meat and ■ then retailing it. at a profit—whioh was very easv to do on butchers prices as a basis. ■One striking instance of how the sup'ply from a milking herd has fallen away as a result of the dry weather was told ! to on. Auckland "Star" reporter. The i owner of the herd, who Tesides -in the ; Mangere district, has a. contract to sup- i ' ply , a customer at- Onehunga with 50 . gallons daily. The quantity has sradually decreased despite all efforts by the ' farmer, to provide "remedial measures,.' until he can now supply 20 gallons only, •; Ln the Port Albert district, streams j which formerly carried a copious sup- • ply of water at • this time of ,the year, ; are dry.-Calves which" twelve months ago were bringing. from to ,£1 10s. in the open market can - be purchased at 65., the farmers being forced on account of, the conditions to get rid of . them practically any price. One reliable authority, reviewing the prospects, said that in tho event of-the drought breaking almost immediately, and the weather remaining mild, .it would permit of the feed coming away in time to I assist the cattle, and thus 'increase the supply, but that in the event of it being delayed until the cold weather sets in, the position would be very., serious.GOVERNMENT "METEOROLOGIST - < INTERVIEWED. Mr. D. C. Bales (Government Meteorologist) stated yesterday that there was no immediate prospect of the drought breaking iip, but there were several possibilities that would have to be watched during the week, for at the 'end.of these anticyclones storms were prevalent. Mr. Bates stated that'the rainfall had been deficient in. Wellington' for the pa6t four , months. The actual rainfall during that period had been 8.92 in., as against the average of 15.13 in .' The' falling off, he said,'had become even more pronounced during the last few months. Mr. Bates gave the following -figures for the North'- . Island foT.%' period of four months ending April:—l :—- ; ' • '.'•:. ' Actual Average ' Rainfall. Rainfall, lr ;. . • Inches. Inches.- ' Maunganui ......'.........;... 5.40 16.52 Auckland .•....;. 5.73 > 11.82 Hamilton ;.....,...'.-.....;. "8.56" 14.05 . Rotorua, :...'.. 1'.% 18.67' •Gisbornej 5.63 15.68 ■■ . Napier>:i:/...:.V.;...;;.;;;;.:;.;' 5.99: 12.61 New Plymouth ii: 15.88 :16.05 Masterton ....;...;.;...;.....,; -6.55 ''■ 11.99 .. :■ Wellington ...... 8.79';'12.73 ■:-■ Wellington (up to date) 8.92 15.13 Mr.-Bates said that anti-cyclonic con-,, ditions had continued all over the Doniiii-' ion during the past, month, and low pressures had been deflected. There was at the present time a westerly lull threatening in the South Island, and freshening . north-west winds, ohanging to southerly,' were, very, probable here. These, however, were not'likely to bring the rain that was so badly needed. He forecasted cloudy and unsettled weather.. LOSSES OF CATTLE IN NORTH AUCKLAND DISTRICTS. •■■'..'. By Telegraph—Prase Association; •'. • Auckland, May 14. : -_ Reports from-. Whangarei to-day ■■ state . that both dairying and grazing are hard hit by the brought in the North Auckland districts. The cream supply has . fallen to a-, minimum. . Losses, of cattle nave/been reported, but sheep have so far come through nil'tight. ■