RAIN IN THE SOUTH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8514, 20 August 1907, Page 6

RAIN IN THE SOUTH.

By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, August 19. | Heavy rain fell overnight, but had cleared off somewhat by breakfast. There are occasional showers still, and the sky is overcast. Rain is very welcome to owners of stock, especially dairymen. There are indications of spring everywhere. REEFTON, August 19. The drought has been threatening which the mining industry has broken up. Since yesterday welcome rain has been falling. By Telegraph—Press Association. TIMARU, August 19. The long drought broke up this afternoon. Rain started to fall lightly early in the afternoon, but it was ' not till" between 4 and 5 o'clock, that it set in steadily. From then on there was a heavy downpour with a steady wind from the south-west. If the rain continues for a few hours longer it will do a vast amount of good to the pastures and dairy operations generally. The autumn and winter were so dry that all the creeks and all the smaller rivers ran dry, and water had to be carried for miles. By Telegraph—Press Association.!! OAMARU, August 19. Heavy rains' —the best for the past two years—have fallen in this district, the ground being well saturated along the coast. The rain started about 8 o'clock on Sunday night, and has continued more or less heavily up till the present time. The back parts of the district were, however, not touched, and the rain-making detachment visited the stations where it was intended to explode the dynamite and gun cotton when a favourable opportunity occurred. Three or four shots were fired, and it is said that these were followed by rain. It however, may be explained that the wind, which had previously been blowing from the north-east veered to the south-east, carrying the coast rain clouds over the dry country to the hills beyond. The experiments, therefore, determine nothing so far as the use of explosives for rainmaking are concerned. About two ! inches of rain had fallen in a district about five miles from the locality of the explosions before they took place. It is intended to make further experiments at the next favourable opportunity.