THE DROUGHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 199, 17 May 1919, Page 8

THE DROUGHT

HAWKE'S BAY FACED WITH FINANCIAL CALAMITY

URGENT NEED OF SHIPS By Telegraph—Press Association. . Hastings, May IG. Replying to the Hon. Mr. Guthrie's telegram that tho liaranga's loading at Nal)ier would W expedited, Mr. H. M. Campbell, president of tho Farmers' Union, has telegraphed as follows:— "More relief must be provided at once, elso the district will be faced with a financial calamity. Many thousands of billable stock arc still here, and unless dealt with soon they and many others will die. Large numbers of sheep aro already dying, and others aro being killed anil skinned. Now is tho timo for vou to assert your authority, and let us liavo several boats without delay. The position is far too serious to bother with anv committee. Act yourself." THE OUTLOOK IN MARLBOROUGH. By Teloeranh-Press Association. Blenheim, May 16. Marlborough in common with the rest of tho Dominion is feeling the severe drought, though not to tho same extent as Hawke's Bay and North Auckland. Ruin is badly wanted, but tho lucerne to some extent is stalling off disaster. The water is' giving out, and many of tho rivers and creeks are drying up. No mortality amongst stock is reported, but prices have • fallen considerably. The outlook for winter feed is not promising. It is tiie worst dry spoil known in tho district. The Pelorus and Wakainarma Rivers are very low, and at Deep Creek crushing lias been entirely suspended. positionatlfeilding PALL IN STOCK PRICES. Although Feilding and the surrounding districts havo not yet suffered to any great extent through the droughty indications are that unless a change in th» weather sots iu soon tho position Anil become serious.

When interviewed by a Dominion reporter a prominent farmer at Foildmg stated that the district was much better off than Auckland and Hawke's Bay, and so far the stock were being held, and held well. The approach of winter without the necessary supplies of feed is Roing to be the serious aspoct of tlio. position in Feilding. Since Christmas! there has not been any rain to speak of, in fact, there has boen barely sufficient to keep tho, dust on the roads down. The country is very dry, arid the quantity of rain recorded was insufficient to penetrate into tho ground. Many of tho farmers who have lived in the district for years state that they havo never before seen the country bo devoid of feed at this timo of the year. _ However the country round Feilding is well watered, otherwise the position would be be iust as'serious as that in Hawke's Bay; With the present weather tho farming community, will be able to carry on witnout much difficulty for about three weeks, but it is feared that a wet winter will then set in. If such happens to be the case tho position will at onco be very serious.

Already there has been a fall in the prices of sheep and cattle. The fall is roughly estimated at from 7s. to 10s. a head for sheep, and from 30s. to JS3 a head in the case of cattle. Thp fall s_pt in a few weeks ago, and is gradually increasing as the drought continnes. It was anticipated that there would be a further drop in tho prices at yesterday's sales. There is a shortage of winter feed, and unless soft rain fulls tho shortage will become acute. Supplies of hard feed are not very plentiful, and in the case of chaff prices are soaring unwavds. The principal sourco of supply of chaff is from the south, and the lack of tonnage lately has reduced supplies. To illustrate tho increase in price of this particular commodity, chad which was worth, say, JS7 a ton six weeks ago, is now worth .£9 a ton, and there is every indication that the price will continue to go up.

DANNEVIRKE AND PAUIATUA DISTRICTS PEED FAIRLY PLENTIFUL. (By Tsleerapli-Special Correspondent.) . Palmerston North, May 10. Dannevirke and. the country immediately surrounding it is in a far happier condition in ,regard to its pastures than Hawke's Bay and the East Coast districts. There'is fitill ft fair amount of feed, except'in. a few isolated instances, and the eroeks are still providing sufficient water for stock. Towards Woodvillo and tho Pahiatua district the position regarding feed is better still, au'd there is not much uneasiness felt by tlw farmer® in that locality, as was evidenced by the good prices obtained at a clearing salo of stock in the Escott estate. Cattle are always the first of tho stock to show tho effects of dry weather, as they require a, largo quantity of water to drink, whereas sheep cau exist for a long time without any at all, though they do better if they can get it. Cattle in the Dannevirke district, however, are so far in very fair condition, while sheop are in many instances fat. Tho only trouble among tho formers round Dannevirke is that they have not been able to get rid of the usual quantity of fat stock, through the congestion of freezing space, and their pastures are consequently forced to carry a heavier load than good management dictates, Dairy farmers, too, are in some euses overstocked: Out towards the coast pasture lands are practically bare and water is unprocurable, and a very hoavy loss in both cattle and sheop faces the pastoralist in that region. OPOTIKI DISTRICT FLOURISHING, By Telegraph—Press Association. Opotiki, May 16. In spite of tho dry weather, the country in the Opotiki district looks fresh and green. This is partly duo to the heavy dews falling every night The growth of grass in the iow-lying areas is more luxurious than usual, and hundreds of cattle have been brought from Poverty Bay during the past week, having been purchased by Opotiki farmers at a comparatively low price, In some cases grazing hn.s been sold to Poverty Bay farmers. '