EFFECTS OF DROUGHT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5239, 15 February 1928, Page 2

EFFECTS OF DROUGHT.

CONDITIONS ON HAURAKI PLAJNS.

FEED AND WATER SHORTAGES.

The prolonged spell of dry weather .has been of benefit to the Hauraki Plains, but there can be too much of a good thing, and the stage when the amount of good is exceeded by the amount of harm has been reached. The rainfall so far this month has been -07 of an. inch, and since Christmas Eve the total hajs only been .o'B of an inch at the Lands Drainage Department’s gauge, at Kerepeehi, while none of the school gauges, with the exception of those at Patetoriga and Kaihere, shows a greater total. Rain appears in the hills to tantalise farmers.

The deepi-rooted crops and pastures are still thriving wonderfully well, but pastures Which were not in really good heart prior to Christmas and algo young crops are now suffering severely. The growth of penny-royal has been very great, and must have an effect on the quality of dairy produce. The number of crickets is increasing, and they threaten to become a curse. The production. of butter-fat is falling rapidly, but the returns must still be far above those of other districts, and if abundant rain would fall shortly the season would undoubtedly be a record one. Water for domestic purposes is now very scarce in all parts of the Plains outside of the Plains West water supply area, and though the County Council has installed a three-inch hose at. Ngatea there is still .a' congestion of carts which have come from all parts with milk and cream cans to be filled. In the Turua and Orongo districts water was being obtained from the temporary mains laid by the Public Works Department to the concrete-mixing plant on the Hauraki bridge, but the demand became so great that the work was interfered with and the use of the road to the bridge had to be prohibited. Settlers about Orongo are now discussing a water supply scheme from Kirikiri, in conjunction with the Thames County Council’s reticulation of the Kopu district.