The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, PERUARY 20, 1915 THE DROUGHT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 144, 20 February 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

SATURDAY, PERUARY 20, 1915 THE DROUGHT.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hape Post ';.a3 Wuinaarino News.)

Tlio unprecedented drought experienced during the whole of this season, aimed; throughout New Zealand, is very seriously affecting this town’s light and water supply, aa’ 1 it has furnished the most tangible, and 'forceful of all reasons why .something should be done, to supplement the water power from the river,' which is .now all we have to depend upon for the, supply of light as well as for water' and drainage. Although there are a great many premises 'not yet connected with the drainage and water systems, and which are not drawing upon the municipal electric power, there is such a shortage as to make it necessary to limit the use of water, and to economise to the utmost possible extent in the use of electricity, both for industrial and lighting purposes, and it is to he hoped that every householder will realise the true position and readily conform to the notifications the Borough authorities havefound it imperative to make in connection with both. It is evident, however, (hat some way of increasing the supply of water will have to he adopted, and it is well that the trouble should be considered now, while things are v m:y nearly as bad as they can be. The promoters of the present scheme possibly never knew the river to bo so short of water as it is this season, and they were prob-. ably justified in believing that it would, in the dryest years they had any knowlege of, contain sufficient io prevent the reservoir from dropping to the condition it is now in. Other districts and towns are suffering from a mild form of water famine , as well as Taihape, We read in a Napier paper that rivers in Hawke's Bay haveactually ceased to Jlowwrivers that have never been known to be without water since white peo-

AVairarapa, v hero very many farmers have been entirely without water for their stock, anti where the grass has dried off to a point when it became necessary to transfer their stock to a more fortunate part of the Dominion or sell it. Therefore, while there seemed every reason to assume that the river would furnish sufficient water for requirements when the town’s triple scheme was promoted, we now know that with only a part of the ratepayers using the water it is not ample or adequate for the real and pressing needs of those who have it laid on. Now, above all other times, when the available power seems to be at its lowest ebb, is the occasion when new plans should be sought or evolved, and it is to lay hoped that for the health and convenience of ratepayers and visitors, as well as to avoid reflections on the town lining made outside, that our local authorities will take steps at one i to obviate any shortage in future. Taihape is, undeniably, a very rapidly growing centre, and whatever course- is followed every possible provision against breakdown or inadequacy in the future should be made.

i'Vmucrs in Iho Tailiapo baek(tomifry arc much more forinnalc with rc.spccf Id this extraordinary dry season Ilian farmers in many oilier paris of New ZcaanUi. Tiioro lias been no stoppage in (be flow of fat sheep and cattle to our railway station, in fact, the figures denoting the quantify of slock railed away are of a most satisfactory and reassuring character, for they furnish ample evidence that in the dryest season within the knowledge of white men our farmers have the feed to permit the fattening of stock to go on almost as though nothing exceptional in the volume of rainfall was happening; it demonstrates that while the. district is not altogether immune from drought effects, the land is of such a pecnliary retentive nature as 1o to hold sufficient moisture to cause feed to grow in the driest of dry seasons. Land with such characteristics that enable it to grow feed under the worst experienced conditions, is without doubt much more valuable than land in other parts that rapidly bakes up and which is occasionally sold ai higher prices than our land is supposed to be worth. It has been said that denuding the land of its forests causes a lesser rainfall.and while this is questionable there can be no difference about flu fact that the removal of the bush allows the rainfall to find its way more rapidly to the rivers and ultimately to find its way to the ocean. Our trouble is, however, shortage in the rainfall, but it is indeed satisfactory to know that this distict lias not been a ffl cteci to the disastrous extent felt in other parts of the Dominion.

FIRE RAISING. The subject of fire making in the Taihape Domain has again been brought under our notice by the Town Clerk (Mr Diunison). It appears that early this morning his attention was attracted by a considerable volume of smoke rising from the eastern approach to the path, that lias been formed by the Domain Board along the river bank. He went to ascertain the cause and found that a large log had been deliberately set on fire by some one, as‘ there were all the evidences tending to that opinion. It was impossible for the log to have taken fire in any other way than by some human aid. Recognising the q eat danger of the whole of the beautiful bush being burned if Immediate action was not taken, Mr Dinnison called up one of the Borough workmen and with his aid the fire was extinguished. The splendid piece* of scenic bush near to Mr S. Behan’s residence was' set fire to, it is said, by some children, and has been burning for the past three days; even reaching to within a few yards* of Mr Behan’s house. The loss of this beautiful piece of scenery is great, but the loss of the Domain bush would be imme.iDurably greater and would create a disaster that all efforts could never get over. We can imagine the view on the river side of the town with the whole of the bush gone, and we can also realise that with the bush would go a number of houses that are built close to it. Only a few weeks ago we urged residents to take every preaution against fire, and to give information if they noticed anyone breaking the law by lighting fires in the Domain. We again mention that there is a. standing reward of ere pound that will be paid to anyone giving information that will lead to the conviction of any offender, and we remind all careless, or wantonly disposed people that the punishment for setting lire to the public domain bush is two years’ imprisonment.