FURTHER SNOW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20003, 31 July 1939, Page 4

FURTHER SNOW

WHARERATAS COATED VERY SEVERE CONDITIONS EFFECT ON Till: STOCK FEED SHORTAGE PROUDEM A further fall of snow occurred in the Wharerata hills yesterday and early this morning, but in other parts of the Gisborne district, although the conditions were exceptionally cold, little more than a sprinkling of snow was experienced.

On the Whareratas, a white covering was noticed early this morning, but it melted rapidly. A report from Tinirolo this morning stated that there had been a very light fall, but it was more in the nature of sleet. From Te Kuruka this morning, no snow could be seen on the hills to the north, although the atmosphere was particularly cold.

The stock throughout the district has suffered ci nsiderably during the past week or so. The mild conditions that prevailed up to the beginning of July helped materially to counterbalance the lack of feed following the severe drought, and the flocks and also many of the cattle had regained much of their condition before the cold weather set in. Exceptional Conditions The conditions in the Gisborne district, however, did not become exceptionally severe until the beginning of last week, when snow began to fall on the high country, extending to the flats for a few hours on Thursday morning. Despite the severe conditions of the past week, the stock in the district ks > n fair order, except on the high country where the cattle are now beginning to feel the pinch. The feed now is very short, and is likely to remain so for a few weeks yet. Fortunately, only small numbers of lambs have appeared on the fiats so far, and the lambing on the high country will not start for a week or sO. For that reason, no great concern is felt for the flocks. In Other Districts In Hawke’s Bay, where the snow has covered a very wide area for several days, flock-owners fear a severe setback to their sheep, in view of the difficulty the flocks will have securing feed under the coating of snow, and unless there is an improvement in the weather very shortly an acute shortage of feed will result. A heavy mortality among early lambs is also feared. Feed is reported to be very short in the Waikato, and cattle are in poor condition, except where adequate provision has been made with hay and ensilage. Several mobs of cattle are on their way through the Waioeka heading north, and these, too, are suffering from a shortage of feed. A number of dead beasts are seen along the road.

Farmers of the Gisborne district, however, feel that they are fortunate in that the severe conditions ax - e being experienced .at a time of the year when they are most expected. They point out that if .the cold snap had been delayed for another month the position would have given rise to some concern, for the high-coun-trv breeding flocks would have been lambing, and serious losses would have been expected. With the cold conditions coming now, there was a greater prospect of th e weather during the next month or so being milder.