The major portion of the Canterbury province at the present time, if not drought-stricken, is certainly a remarkable imitation of that deplorable condition.
Generally, when Canterbury has suffered from dry spells there have been favoured areas of country which have received a sufficient rainfall, and where feed remains reasonably plentiful, and that is the case this season; but the area is probably less this year than for 18 years past, and is practically confined to the peninsula and to patches along the foothills that border the western edge of the plains.
It is only along the foothills and for a few miles eastward of them that any rain to speak of has fallen.
Canterbury has had no rain for quite nine months. In parts of South Canterbury, too, the situation is distinctly bad, while on the shingle plains round about Rakaia and the Rangitata feed is conspicuous by its absence, though astonishingly good picking seems to be available in the big river-beds.
A heavy rain, accompanied by continued hot weather, would do a great deal of good, but this is almost past hoping for, and, even if the rain does come, it will probably be followed by a drop in temperature that will effectually stop any useful growth in the pastures.
With little paddock feed, and no turnips, the outlook of the sheep-farmer loaded up with stock he cannot get rid of, and cannot feed, is not a rosy one.
Recent complaints were made that visitors to Rotorua were annoyed by the too persistent attention of ''touts'' from boarding houses and coaching firms, and a petition, signed by the representatives of certain businesses, was presented to the authorities urging that a by-law be framed with the object of preventing ''touting'' in the streets of the town.
This, it is understood, was forwarded to Wellington for the consideration of the heads of the Tourist Department.
An opposition movement has now developed, and telegrams have been sent to the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister in charge of the department, and to Mr B. M. Wilson, its general manager, requesting that no action be taken in the direction of complying with the prayer of the petition until the residents of the town have expressed their opinion on the question by means of a public meeting, and stating that the petitioners represented merely a portion of the community.
The fire discovered early yesterday morning in Messrs A. and J. Watt's furniture factory, Princes street South, proved to be a somewhat serious and extensive one.
The alarm was first given at 2.45 a.m. by Constable Saunders, who broke the Duplex indicator at the Imperial Hotel corner.
By the time the brigade arrived the flames had a strong hold at the upper and rear part of the building, and, though the pressure of water was good, the seat of the outbreak proved somewhat difficult to get at.
The fire was not completely subdued until the upstairs portion of the building had been practically gutted and a great deal of damage done below, both by fire and water.
So far it has not been possible to trace the cause of the outbreak. It seems probable that the trouble started at the rear of the building, and on the ground floor.
The workmen employed about the building lost a large number of valuable tools, and, unfortunately, only one of them had taken the precaution to insure his property.
It is impossible as yet to get an approximate estimate of the total damage. The building was insured in the New Zealand office for 200, and the stock and plant in the North Queensland office for 400.
Our Hawea Flat correspondent informs us that deer-stalkers who have returned from the Hunter Valley report that the forest in that direction is heavily over-stocked, and that culling is badly required.
Fair heads have been secured by several stalkers.
It is reported that one of the best taken so far was a 15-pointer, shot in Boundary Creek by a sportsman from Timaru.
Mr Dunning has also obtained a good head on the Makarora side. - ODT, 16.4.1915.
