724
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 25

New Zealand Rainfall for February, 1905—continued.

SOUTH ISLAND—continued.

(H.) SOUTH ASPECT—CAPE SAUNDERS TO POYSEGOR POINT.

Eweburn Nursery, Ranfurly .. | A. W. Roberts .. | .. | 0·91 | 5 | 0·48 on 7th
Kokonga .. | R. W. Glendinning | .. | 1·98 | 4 | 0·90 on 25th
Caversham .. | G. M. Burlinson | .. | 2·07 | 8 | 0·80 on 8th
Gladbrook St’n, Middlemarch | A. Mackenzie .. | .. | 0·21 | 1 | 0·21 on 8th
St. Bathan’s .. | J. Ewing .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Tarras .. | T. McWhirter .. | .. | 0·12 | 2 | 0·06 on 7th and 26th
Queenstown .. | A. H. Hiddlestone | .. | 0·49 | 4 | 0·27 on 7th
Galloway, Alexandra South .. | A. Gunn.. | .. | 0·12 | 1 | 0·12 on 26th
Clyde .. | J. S. Dickie .. | .. | 0·35 | 2 | 0·20 on 25th
Roxburgh .. | Dr. J. R. Gilmour | .. | 1·50 | 6 | 0·985 on 7th
Balclutha .. | J. W. Brame .. | .. | 1·38 | 5 | 0·75 on 7th
Tapanui Nursery .. | R. G. Robinson .. | .. | 1·10 | 5 | 0·40 on 26th
Waikawa Valley .. | J. H. Buckingham | .. | 2·38 | 8 | 1·03 on 26th
Toi Toi Estate, Waimahaka .. | W. R. Baird .. | .. | 1·385 | 10 | 0·530 on 26th
Woodlands .. | J. Mehaffey .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Centre Hill Station, Mossburn | R. Gray .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Dipton E. .. | R. D. MacLachlan | .. | 0·87 | 4 | 0·32 on 24th
Birchwood, Nightcaps .. | Mrs. R. McKenzie | .. | .. | .. | ..
Nightcaps .. | James Ritchie .. | .. | 1·18 | 8 | 0·315 on 26th
Otautau .. | N. A. McLaren .. | .. | 1·25 | 9 | 0·50 on 25th

(I.) ISLANDS.

Chatham Islands .. | A. Shand .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Stewart Island .. | W. Traill .. | .. | 1·74 | 14 | 0·43 on 26th

A. HAMILTON, Director.

GENERAL SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY, 1905.

In dealing with comparisons of monthly rainfalls, allowance has to be made for February having two or three days less than other months. This year the month had a remarkably light rainfall, and in the North Island several observers have it as the driest on record. The wind, however, was generally light, and evaporation therefore by no means excessive, thus avoiding the more trying effects of drought, and causing cloudiness in the daytime. Coming, also, at the end of a wet and late summer, the dry and warmer period experienced almost everywhere between the 8th and 22nd, and in many parts for over twenty-one days, except for some slight showers about the 15th in a few places, had generally most beneficial effects upon the crops and vegetation. Owing to the anticyclonic conditions which then prevailed, the days were calm and hot, while the nights were cool, with heavy dews, and even frosts were reported on the high country inland. The weather, especially in the south, was regarded as most favourable to the season, and crops have on the whole turned out considerably better than anticipated. The “harvest” of oaten hay for chaffing, hay, and grass-seed was mostly completed and saved in good condition. Cereals throve and ripened almost too rapidly, so that harvesting made strides southwards until stopped at the end of the month by the rain, then most welcome to pastoralists and dairy-farmers, and needed for the late crops, rape, and the turnips so extensively cultivated this season. On account of the weather, however, which delayed the sowing, it must be expected that the harvesting will be somewhat irregular, and the results more uneven than usual. Taranaki, and parts of the country north and west of it which usually have a plentiful rainfall, and where the soil is of a porous nature, suffered from the want of regular summer rain, and gardens and fields bore a parched appearance unusual to them. Mr. H. A. Goudie, chief officer at the Rotorua Nursery, Whakarewarewa, remarks that, “Generally speaking, the weather of February was most trying, and at times it was almost impossible to supply the seedling trees with sufficient water to keep them alive. Although the heat was abnormal, I attribute the fact of the seedlings being so affected by it to the extremely wet spring and summer we have had rushing them into thin sappy growths.” At Waiotapu Mr. J. Scanlon remarks that the 2,000,000 trees, chiefly pines, sown there have thriven well on the waste pumice ground of that district; and at Ruatangata State Nursery Mr. L. J. Adams reports that seeds on the forest-trees are now generally abundant. Several observers remark upon the effects of the weather with regard to disease or blight in potatoes, and rust and smut in wheat and oats; but this is a matter at present of more concern to biology than to meteorology. Burning-off was extensively carried on in the dry period, and the haze from the smoke in many districts resembled clouds in the mornings and evenings.

Land and sea breezes were very marked in places on the sea-coast, the sea-breeze as evening approached springing up quite suddenly and strongly out of a calm.

A brilliant red sunset and very muggy weather preceded the warm rains about the 6th. This was accompanied by a gale lasting nearly all night over Taranaki. It is to be noted that thunder accompanied this rainfall in a few places, but thunder was more general about the 27th. It was, however, not so widely experienced as last month. Some observers think it more common this season than usual in New Zealand.

A grand display of the aurora australis occurred on the night of the 3rd, and was witnessed all over Southland.

Observations from two additional second-order stations are now used in the climatological tables, and will serve to bring out truer means for both Islands and indicate irregularities; Mr. H. F. Skey, B.Sc., of the Magnetic Observatory, sending them for Christchurch, and the Rev. D. Kennedy, D.D., who has imported a splendid set of instruments, for Meeanee, Hawke’s Bay.

Very useful and valuable monthly and annual totals of rainfall and days with rain have been furnished by Mr. H. I. Jones, of Wanganui. His observations come up to date from January, 1863. Captain J. Makgill, of Waiuku, Auckland, gives records from August, 1882, to January, 1904. Mr. J. W. Paulin, of Opho, Dunedin, has kindly supplied a copy of similar records from January, 1889, to December, 1904, inclusive. Mr. H. N. Watson has sent in rainfall returns for Ongaonga, Hawke’s Bay, for 1904. Dr. J. Gunn, F.R. Met. Soc., of Kaikoura, and the Rev. H. W. Williams, M.A., of Gisborne, have also made interesting use of their observations, and forwarded the results for the use of this office.

D. C. BATES, F.R. Met. Soc.

Meteorological Office, Wellington, 14th March, 1905.