PROTRACTED DRY WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 8

PROTRACTED DRY WEATHER

Major Problem Likely In

Far North

STOCK BEING DRIVEN TO WATER Dominion Special Service. AUCKLAND, March 14. Lack of water for farm, garden and household will become a major problem in the far north unless the dry spell which has persisted for fully two months is broken by a downpour of rain. Even the hardy paspalum pastures have suffered from the rigours of the protracted dry spell, and, wilted by the blazing sun, they provide scant feed for stock. In some of the areas affected in the Mangonui and Kaitaia districts the position is becoming serious. In the Mangonui area tanks are in some cases depleted and even streams which usually carry an abundant supply of water are running at lower levels. Dairy production is dropping rapidly, and, though light showers have recently fallen, they were little more than sufficient to lay the dust on country roads. Probably the area most, affected is the comparatively newly-developed country between Awanui and To Kite, and farmers in the Fairburn district have also suffered. Household tanks serving many homesteads are empty and, in addition to driving stock several miles to the nearest streams, farmers are obliged to obtain their domestic supplies from the same sources. Dry conditions have also prevailed In the Bay of Islands, but a dairying authority said that (he farming districts had suffered Jess than might be expected. Supply was dropping, but not so rapidly as might be imagined when the length of time without heavy rain was realized.