Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Editorial: Drought hits hard for some

By Craig Cooper
Editor·Northern Advocate·
5 Mar, 2013 08:26 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

It is easy for a drought to sneak up on us - a wolf dressed in summer clothing.

One minute, we were reflecting on a warm 2013 summer that repaired the local economy, after a disastrously wet January in 2012.

The next, we are realising that the wet January in 2012 was actually a boon for dairy farmers, and that long term, a hot January is not good economic news for the region in 2013.

It does all of us good to consider others' plight from time to time.

For instance, non-Kaipara residents should consider the drastic water restrictions looming for our west coast neighbours. If they do not get rain soon, their water may be turned off intermittently.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

For critics of Kaipara District Council, that water-saving action, if it occurs, may as well be volatile fuel thrown on the anti-council fire. Remember though, that the council can't make it rain.

Although it could build a dam.

In Whangarei, town residents are experiencing the guilty irony of no water restrictions, despite the rural drought. Mainly because the city's civic infrastructure includes a well-stocked dam in Whau Valley.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Yes, that's right - we're in the middle of a drought but we don't have to save water.

I would suggest though, that in deference to our rural counterparts in the Whangarei district, that we don't wait for official restrictions to be placed upon us.

Let's start conserving water now - it seems wasteful and reckless to splash it about when our farmers need it so badly. A little community solidarity in tough times goes a long way.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients

Northern Advocate

'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on

Opinion

Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs


Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients
Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients

Alan Bayly, Harry Carter, Bett Harvey and Darrell Trigg are this year's recipients.

05 Sep 11:00 PM
'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on
Northern Advocate

'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on

05 Sep 05:00 PM
Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs
Opinion

Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs

05 Sep 04:50 PM


NZ’s convenience icon turns 35
Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

02 Sep 09:23 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP