OTAKI & DISTRICT

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 April 1916, Page 2

OTAKI & DISTRICT

XKWb blUhlia l'lUWl OiAKI MAIL. Xhe death occurred at Immersion -Nortii hosi)ital ot Mr lorn iiilk, fourth isoii of tlie late .Uγ oames Jjiils, ot Otaki .is uotii in tlie .Uanawatu a-Uit liorowiienua distiicte. -ueceasju was •joiii in J'ictoii, alter winch he came to U'taki, where lie reside*! for about lour yeais, afterwards taking irp residence in i'almersfcan ?Corth, where lie entered* mto business, i'ail.iug iieai-ili ccmipcLcd him to enter the Hospital Jfhere, aoid he made a good reuoveiey, lu.itc was obliged later to, re-enter the-hospital, where he succumbed. JJeceaseil was very popular, was married, and aged oii/y 41 years. . - j Owing to the continued dry weatner, it i.s probable that the Dairy Union creamery at Otaki will shortly, only receive milk every other day—a mouth earlier than usual. The milk yi'eiJ las .dropped to about one-quarter of the usual supply, Mr W. Ji, Smith, meteorological officer, reports that in Otaki the month of March recorded .41in. oi"rain (less than one-half of ah inch). llain feil on seven days, the "rainiest" day being the 22ud, when .ICin fell. In the corresponding month of last year .loin. fell. But that wae only a short the last twelve years being 2.81 inches. The niaiith just past was the driwst March for twelve years—with the exception of March, 1911. when qulfy .Tsin, toll. But that was only a. ,-ihort dry spell, for the first three months of jhat year (r911) had e. fall of just 5 iiiches. For a lengthened dry speli we liaye to go back eight years-—to 1908. In that year only .05in. (l-20th of an inch) fell in February. The three first months of 1908 showed a f.-ill of 3.6 in. The firot three months of the present year show' 3.4Bin.—talimost the same as 11*08. But 'Ehe great difference between this dry tspelV and that of 1908 is -that the latter dry spell broke up early in March', fri that year being 3in.. whereas this present drought had lasted all through March,, and had... not 'broken up on the Ist April. The significance of this to the farming community is apparent. In 1908 xho drought ended in time to bring on good autumn feed. This year threatens a- shortage—and a serious one—o* • feed, right into winter. Jn Wellington the rainfall for March totalled I.42in.—an inch more than Otaki. There were seven wet days in Wellington. A big gathering of natives is being he'di <»t Wiaikanae, where ajarge band of visiting natives, some two or three hundred in numJbetv 'aire assembled. The .' visitore hail from the Oisbornc .district and. are largely composed ot the Ngafciporou tribe. They are making a tour of various places of importance to the natives in the North Inland, and wiU* be away from their homes for a lenpthy pe? - io<:l. It is understood that their journey ib for the purpose of continuing the tangi. in connection with the late Wi Pere. ex-memlber of Parliament. The visitors were expected at Otaki yesterdiay. tnit to arrive owing to railway facilities not lieing arranged. They will, m all probability arrive to-day and stay- two or three day*. Big preparations arb being mode by the local natives to entertain thems The Rev. Father Be Lach is on a visit to.Otaki., (During year or so. Father Dβ Lach lym been a srreat sufferer. He was very seriously iVI- for a considernble period, his life • being despaired of at one time. ■ but made a good iecover\ and is mow eu.foying fair health. After a,trip to Hastingb and Wellington. Father Be Lach -will retnra to Otaki foi a short holiday He will leave in a few weeks for France, on an extended hoVday.