WELCOME RAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1939, Page 6

WELCOME RAIN

v PARCHED PASTURES & GARDENS BENEFIT. FALL IN THE WAIRARAPA. Heavy rain commenced to fall in the Wairarapa last evening, much to the joy of the farming community, and continued more or less throughout the night and this morning. In striking contrast to other parts of the Wellington district, which had benefited from substantial falls of rain in the past few weeks, the Wairarapa district had not received more than an occasional sprinkle, and as a result pastures were drying up rapidly. The dry weather had retarded the growth of pastures and the rain will bring wecome relief to farmers. As long as a fortnight ago the Masterton Borough Council found it necessary to impose hosing restrictions, and to prohibit the hosing of lawns, but the present fall of rain will give gardens and lawns alike a thorough soaking. As a preliminary to better things to come, a show.er or two was experienced in Masterton and district on Saturday afternoon. WATER ACROSS HIGHWAY. The highway neai’ the Waiohine River was under water this morning, although not to a sufficient extent to block traffic. If the rain continues, however, there is a prospect of a holdup occurring, as the rivers were reported to be still rising. The paddocks behind the Waihakeke factory are also flooded. At Te Wharau the rivers are reported to be in high flood. A few small slips have occurred on the Rimutaka Hill but they have not interfered with traffic. RIVERS IN FLOOD. SOME FLOODING AT DALEFIELD. (“Times-Age” Special.) The rain has caused a heavy flood in the rivers throughout the district. The Waingawa river at 9 o'clock this morning was running bank to bank. The Waiohine is very high and a large volume of water is flowing in a swift torrent. No damage is reported at Dalefield. All the small streams are full and the Maungatere and Kaipatangata streams are unable to carry the flood waters. Consequently they have broken their banks and the water has found its way across the Dalefield Road near Mr K. G. Fairbrother’s property. and milk suppliers had to go through lhe flood to deliver their milk to the Dalefield factory. The Raumahanga River shows very little signs of flooding at present, despite the fact that heavy rain has fallen in the Kokotau district for the past 12 hours, and at 9 o'clock it was still raining very heavily. This is the first beneficial rain experienced at Kokotau for over three months, and the countryside was beginning to show signs of the prolonged dry weather.