852

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of APRIL, 1877.

NOTE.—Altitude of Bealey, 2,104 feet; Queenstown, 1,070 feet. The stations marked thus * are furnished with aneroid barometers only.

NOTES FOR APRIL, 1877.

Mongonui.—Very pleasant month, though showery; the maximum rainfall recorded on 7th, 62 in.; strong winds on 7th and 8th, S.W.;
on 20th, N.E., and 29th, S.W.; prevailing southerly winds.

Auckland.—Showery, but total rainfall small, the maximum recorded on 7th, 35 in.; winds generally light, and prevailing from S.W.;
stormy on 7th and 8th, N.E. and N. to W. and S.W., and on 29th and 30th, from S.W.; hail in night of 9th; fog on 25th, morning.

Taranaki.—Showery at commencement and end of month, otherwise very fine and pleasant, with prevailing southerly winds; maximum
rain recorded on 8th, 67 in.

Napier.—Fine clear weather; very small rainfall, the maximum registered on 13th, 260 in.; southerly winds prevailed, and often high;
stormy on 29th and 30th.

Wellington.—Cold and stormy from S.E. on 1st, with rain, then fine bright weather until 7th, when rain commenced from N.W.; changed
during day to S.W., and rain and strong wind during night, cold; 1.90 in. rain recorded on 8th, the maximum for the month; blowing
a gale from S.W. on 8th, but no rain; barometer, 29-486, it having fallen from the 6th, 60 in.; fine again from N.W. until 11th, when
it rained heavily, changing to S.E. and still raining; strong wind; generally fine from 12th to 26th, but cold; barometer falling on
26th, and heavy rain morning of 27th, but cleared off soon; rain in afternoon of 28th, and thunder and vivid lightning at night, and
stormy from N.W., changing to S.E.; showery disagreeable day on 29th, at night rain and wind changed to S.W.; on 30th, cold,
and towards evening strong S.W. wind with rain; squally night. On the whole it was rather colder and more severe than is usual for
this month, and the rainfall in excess of the average.

Wanganui.—Showery in early and latter part, but otherwise fine weather; maximum rain recorded on 8th, 1.75 in., during strong N.E.
gale; thunder on 28th and 29th, and sultry; prevailing southerly winds.

Nelson.—Rain on 6th and 7th and last four days of month, remainder fine; maximum rain recorded on 29th, 1.52 in.; strong S.W. wind
on 16th and 17th; prevailing southerly winds.

Cape Campbell.—Dull weather, with strong southerly and N.W. winds; small rainfall, the maximum recorded on 29th, 43 in.

Christchurch.—First part fine and warm; on 7th, heavy storm of wind and rain from S.W., continuing all night and on the 8th, with hail;
89 in. rain recorded on 8th, and 36 in. on 9th; wind, 976 miles in the forty-eight hours; remainder of month dull and cold, with
occasional fine days; prevailing S.W. winds.

Bealey.—Generally fine, with cold frosty mornings and evenings; occasional showers; the maximum fall recorded on 8th, 99 in.;
prevailing northerly winds, and strong on 5th, 16th, and 17th; snow on 8th; and eleven foggy days.

Hokitika.—Fine for time of year; showery, with intervals of fine weather; maximum rainfall recorded on 12th, 1.37 in.; prevailing
easterly winds, and strong on 7th, 8th, and 15th; fog on 10th and 18th.

Dunedin.—Fine up to 7th, when it became changeable, with high wind, especially 16th to 18th, from S.W., from which quarter it prevailed;
maximum rainfall recorded on 1st, 1.070 for previous twenty-four hours, 73 in. being registered on 29th.

*Queenstown.—On the whole fine weather; maximum rain recorded on 7th, 1.06 in; prevailing N.W. winds, and moderate; snow fell on
hills on 7th, 8th, and 29th.

Southland.—Fine generally, with N.W. and S.W. winds; a S.W. gale on night of 17th; maximum rainfall recorded on 7th, 1'31 in.

GENERAL REMARKS.

With few exceptions the weather during this period was fine for time of year, with little rain, and no storms of any violence. The
temperature was, however, rather below the average throughout. The Queenstown observer reports a smart shock of earthquake in
neighbourhood of Skipper's, Upper Shotover, about the 13th.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.