THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 493

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of APRIL, 1876.

MONGONUI ... 30-025 -735 63.2 16.4 40.0 144.0 .474 82 6.020 15 210 685, 10th 6.7
Same month previous 10 yrs. ... 30-085 63.5 .475 78 5.505 11

AUCKLAND ... 30-048 -817 62.2† 17.2† 34.1† 135.2 38.4 .427† 77† 3.375 22 285 584, 18th 6.5
Same month previous 12 yrs. ... 30-033 61.9 .441 78 3.222 13

TARANAKI ... 29-997 -877 60.1 16.4 37.0 126.0 34.0 .397 76 6.950 13 227 660, 10th 7.0
Same month previous 12 yrs. ... 30-050 59.6 .387 72 3.120 11

NAPIER ... 30-008 1.047 61.2† 14.0† 33.0† 127.0 37.0 .376† 70† 3.360 8 182 400, 10th 3.0
Same month previous 9 years ... 30-044 58.5 .389 75 2.565 9

WELLINGTON ... 30-002 1.258 57.1 10.3 30.3 134.0 31.0 .371 79 6.670 12 189 450, 9th 6.2
Same month previous 12 yrs. ... 30-029 57.1 .354 74 3.569 12

WANGANUI ... 30-110 -940 58.7 20.2 39.0 132.0 28.0 .358 73 3.910 12 262 470, 10th 5.0

Same month previous 4 years ... 30-077 57.3 .338 72 1.397 7

NELSON ... 29-861 1.007 57.5 20.5 32.0 24.0 .377 80 16.070 12 137 311, 10th 6.8
Same month previous 12 yrs. ... 29-995 57.1 .365 72 3.771 6

CAPE CAMPBELL ... 30-040 -950 60.1 11.8 29.2 .395 76 8 406 774, 10th 7.0
Same month previous 2 years ... 30-170 60.5 .372 70 -690 5

CHRISTCHURCH ... 29-926 1.012 54.2 12.7 35.5 123.0 22.2 .369 88 5.130 12 143 381,27th 6.7
Same monthprevious 12 yrs. ... 30-010 53.7 .342 79 2.178 8

*BEALEY ... 30-160 -830 50.0 14.0 41.0 24.0 .265 74 12.030 18 166 355,30th 6.0
Same month previous 8 years ... 29-921 48.65 .2808 825 6.876 13

HOKITIKA ... 29-994 -912 55.1 12.3 32.6 26.0 .382 88 18.140 17 6.0
Same month previousl0yrs, ... 30-043 54.6 .379 86 7.782 14

DUNEDIN ... 29-747 -790 52.4 12.3 28.0 121.0 33.0 .304 77 5.129 20 154 540, 28th 6.6'
Same monthprevious12 yrs. ... 29-977 52.0 .294 76 2.306 13

*QUEENSTOWN ... 29-850 -810 50.2 12.5 31.6 105.7 31.9 .265 74 5.550 15 88 210,11th 5.0.
Same month previous 4 years ... 29-996 52.0 .264 68 2.182 7

SOUTHLAND ... 29-840 -770 52.0 20.0 45.0 125.0 .287† 74 4.840 17 152 392,13th 7.0
Same month previousll yrs. ... 29-960 51.1 .289|| 77 3.386 13

Altitude of Bealey, 2,104 feet; Queenstown, 1,070 feet. The stations marked thus * are furnished with aneroid barometers only.
† For 17 days only. ‡ For 27 days only. § 7 years. || 10 years. ¶ 3 years.

NOTES FOR APRIL, 1876.

Mongonui. From 1st to 6th, 11th to 15th, and on the 29th and 30th, fine; the remainder of month gales, strong winds, and
rain; prevailing easterly winds; maximum rain recorded on 28th, 1.90 in.; thunder on 7th. Maximum temperature in
shade, 83°; minimum, 43°.

Auckland. Showery weather, generally during nights; heavy rain from 25th to 28th, preceded by sudden fall in barometer from
29.943 in. to 28.924 in. between 11 a.m. and 12 noon; maximum rainfall recorded on 25th, 830 in.; westerly winds prevailed;
thunder on 6th, 11th, and 25th; on night of 11th hail also; fog on 5th, early morning; brilliant aurora on 16th in S.W.,
followed by strong easterly gales and rain. Maximum temperature in shade, 79°.1; minimum, 45°.

Taranaki. Fine in early part; heavy S.W. gale on 9th and 10th, with rain; continued showery to 13th, fine to 16th, showery
on 17th and 18th, fine on 19th 20th and 21st, then showery almost for remainder of month; the maximum rainfall recorded
on 23rd, 2.31; prevailing easterly and westerly winds; thunder on 11th and 24th. Maximum temperature in shade, 77°;
minimum, 40°.

Napier. Generally fine, with prevailing N.E. winds and moderate; heavy rain, however, during latter part of month; the maxi-
mum recorded on 28th, 1.37; strong S.W. gale on 9th; fog on 3rd. Maximum temperature in shade, 75°; minimum, 42°.

Wellington. The month commenced with fine N.W. weather, which continued up to the 7th; on night of 7th strong N.W.
winds blew, and stormy from that quarter to 9th; 2.60 in. rain recorded on 10th; changed to S.E. on 10th, and rain;
heavy showers on night of 12th from S.E.; otherwise the weather was pleasant, with moderate S.E. and N.W. wind up to
evening of 23rd, when rain commenced, and continued wet, unpleasant weather till end of month; distant thunder and
lightning on evening of 24th; about 10 a.m. on 25th rain commenced; wet all day; 1.515 in. rain registered on 26th; wind
changed to S.W. on night of 25th; barometer down to 29.305 on 26th, cold and still raining, wind moderate from S.W.,
and changed again to S.E., barometer rising; hail fell on night of 10th; meteor seen on night of 7th, at 9.30 p.m.

Wanganui. Fine up to 9th, but showery generally for remainder of month; the maximum rainfall recorded on 25th, 85 in.;
strong westerly winds on 10th, 12th, 13th, and 28th, with rain; thunder on 24th; fog on 2nd and 5th; prevailing N.W.
winds; meteor on 13th, at 6.5 p.m. Maximum temperature in shade, 77°; minimum, 38°.

Nelson. Rough, unpleasant weather, with very heavy rain towards latter part of month; the maximum fall recorded on 18th,
being 4.16 in. for previous 24 hours; wind, N.E.; heavy westerly gale on 10th and 11th, lasting 18 hours, with thunder
and lightning on 10th; prevailing westerly winds. Maximum temperature in shade, 74°; minimum, 42°.

Cape Campbell. Fine, with strong N.W. winds, often reaching gales; occasional showers. Maximum temperature in shade,
75.7; minimum, 46.5.

Christchurch. Early part fine, at times very warm; showery during middle of month; on 25th rain set in from S.W., and
increased to a furious gale on night of 26th; 2.12 in. rain recorded on 27th; considerable damage done by wind during this
gale; hail on 11th; prevailing winds N.E. and S.W. Maximum temperature in shade, 72°; minimum, 36°.5.

Bealey. Up to 16th ten fine bright days; remainder of month very wet, dull, and gloomy; greatest fall of rain recorded on
10th, 4.5 in.; prevailing N.W. winds, and strong on 7th, 8th, 21st, 23rd, and 29th; thunder on 7th and 8th; snow on
10th; hail on 9th; five days of fog. Maximum temperature in shade, 69°; minimum, 28°.

Hokitika. Generally very wet during month, with occasional fine days; maximum rainfall recorded on 18th, 3.20 in.; pre-
vailing easterly winds; strong gale, with rain, on 9th from N.E., and on 17th from S.E., also with rain; fog on five days.
Maximum temperature in shade, 65°.9; minimum, 33°.3.

Dunedin. Dull and showery generally; high winds on 27th and 28th from S.W., and rain; prevailing westerly winds; maxi-
mum rain recorded on 27th, 1.84 in.; thunder on 8th; hail on 18th. Maximum temperature in shade, 66°; minimum, 38°.

Queenstown. Fine during early part, with occasional showers, on 8th, 9th and 10th, rather heavy; from 16th to end of month
very showery; the maximum fall recorded on 8th and 24th, 70 in.; prevailing westerly winds, but moderate; snow on
hills on 10th, 23rd, and 27th; hail on 10th and four foggy days. Maximum temperature in shade, 67°7; minimum, 36°.1.

Southland. Showery unpleasant weather, at times bright; prevailing westerly winds; maximum rain recorded on 30th, 83 in.
Maximum temperature in shade, 75°; minimum, 30°.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Wet, stormy weather during this month, with prevailing westerly winds, thunder and hail storms occurring at several of the
stations, and in the South snow, altogether an unpleasant month for time of year. Earthquakes are reported by Meteorological
Observers at Dunedin on 11th, direction N.E. to S.W.; at Queenstown, same date, at 11.40 a.m., direction E. to W.; at
Wanganui, on 13th, at 6.10 p.m., loud rumble; a meteor seen at 6.5 p.m., just before the shake. A meteor also at Hokitika on
13th, at 6.20 p.m., and on 28th, at 8.40 p.m., large. From the Telegraph Department.-Earthquakes reported on 11th,
at St. Bathan's, Otago, 11.40 a.m., slight, but distinct, E. to W.; Naseby, 11.40 a.m., distinct and rumbling noise, W. to
E.; Palmerston, 11.40 a.m., sharp; Waikouaiti, 11.40 a.m., slight and distinct, one second, N. to S.; Port Chalmers, 11.40
a.m., slight; Queenstown, 11.40 a.m., slight, S. to N.; Oamaru, 11.40 a.m., severe shock, heaviest yet felt, S. to N.; Dunedin,
11.40 a.m., slight; Waimate, 11.35 a.m., slight. Large meteor fell to W. at 6.15 p.m. on 3rd, at Patea, appearing to burst
about 20° from horizon; left brilliant streak of red light lasting several minutes. Also a meteor observed at Foxton, on 13th,
at 6.14 p.m., very brilliant, apparently bursting about 20° from horizon, followed by a slight shock, as at Wanganui on same date.

W. B. D. MANTELL (for Inspector).