1740
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 68

New Zealand Rainfall for June, 1905—continued.

SOUTH ISLAND—continued.

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

Eweburn Nursery, Ranfurly .. A. W. Roberts .. 1·47 8 0·49 on 11th
Kokonga .. R. W. Glendinning .. 1·62 8 0·65 on 18th
Caversham .. G. M. Burlinson .. 2·28 9 0·94 on 1st
Gladbrook St’n, Middlemarch A. Mackenzie .. .. .. ..
Tarras .. .. .. .. ..
Queenstown .. A. H. Hiddlestone .. 4·57 8 1·07 on 23rd
Galloway, Alexandra South .. A. Gunn.. .. 0·66 3 0·34 on 12th
Clyde .. J. S. Dickie .. 1·17 5 0·50 on 24th
Roxburgh .. Dr. J. R. Gilmour .. 0·855 9 0·285 on 13th
Balclutha .. J. W. Brame .. 1·04 7 0·36 on 18th
Tapanui Nursery .. R. G. Robinson .. 2·60 10 0·68 on 3rd
Waikawa Valley .. J. H. Buckingham .. 3·67 15 0·92 on 23rd
Toi Toi Estate, Waimahaka .. W. R. Baird .. 2·88 17 0·95 on 23rd
Centre Hill Station, Mossburn.. R. Gray .. 4·53 16 1·06 on 23rd
Dipton .. R. D. MacLachlan .. 2·34 10 0·93 on 23rd
Birchwood, Nightcaps .. Mrs. R. McKenzie .. 2·775 15 0·98 on 23rd
Nightcaps .. James Ritchie .. 2·86 14 0·835 on 23rd
Otatau(a) .. N. A. McLaren .. 3·16 10 0·72 on 23rd
Te Tua .. H. A. Archdall .. 3·97 18 0·815 on 23rd

(I.) ISLANDS.

Chatham Islands(a) .. A. Shand .. .. .. ..
Stewart Island .. W. Traill .. 4·43 22 0·66 on 13th

Late return—
(a) May .. .. .. .. 2·93 10 1·16 on 11th

A. HAMILTON, Director.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT FOR JUNE, 1905.

The rainfall of New Zealand has been widely observed during the past sixteen years, and this period gives fair averages for the various months. These mean rainfalls for the month of June show that north of the Firth of Thames the fall was considerably less than usual, and also in a few places in Otago and Southland it was below the average; but on the whole, both for the number of rainy days and the amount of rainfall, the past June was about the wettest on record. In the provinces of Taranaki, Wellington, and parts of Hawke’s Bay the rainfall was from two to four times greater than the average for the month, and in many cases the record is double that of any previous maximum for June. In the South Island, although the rainfall was not so excessive, yet it was very heavy about the 22nd and 23rd, and floods occurred in parts—on the West Coast and in Canterbury. The rain in Canterbury was preceded by a strong, dry, and warm nor’-wester (a “foehn” wind) which ended in rain. Mr. W. M. Hamilton. at Waimate, in his return, remarked: “It was noted that when the heavy rains occurred at Greymouth the wind changed round from west to east by the north, with a very heavy bank of clouds, which ultimately disappeared away to the east. As there was heavy rain at Naseby about the same time, it would appear as if the rain had circled round Canterbury along the ridges and to the westward of the Southern Alps.”

Snow, sleet, and hail fell in many parts during the first week of June, and at other times at higher levels. It is found that in winter the zone of maximum rainfall is lower on the mountains than in summer, and this increase is exemplified in the returns of the higher-level stations, which had extremely heavy rainfalls.

With regard to temperature, the first week of June was as cold as ever experienced in this country for over forty years. The most remarkable records were (1) about 20° of frost on the ground at Lincoln Agricultural College, and (2) diurnal ranges of 35° Fahr. occurred in the temperature of the air at New Plymouth on both the 6th and 7th. Much of the weather during the month was raw, but some very mild days accounted for growth of feed in parts, especially on the sea-coast. In Southland, except in the first week and about the 25th, the weather was remarkably calm and mild.

The barometer was very low, especially in the North, at the beginning of the month. After the 2nd it rose everywhere until the 7th, when it fell suddenly in the North. Extensive low pressure prevailed everywhere between the 14th and 20th. An antarctic depression about the 23rd affected the South Island particularly, and was followed by an anticyclone, which was associated with cold and calm weather in the South, but raw and misty conditions in the North Island.

Ploughing and sowing were delayed by the wet weather. In the Rangitikei district, where root crops had not prospered earlier in the season, it is now reported: “Turnips are now at their maturity, and on the whole are better than was anticipated several months ago.” At Rangiahua, on Hokianga Harbour, Mr. W. R. Coxhead remarks: “The unusual cold of the last three months has made grass very scarce, and the dairies are unable to supply anything like the demand for butter, &c. I cannot remember keep being so short at this time of the year during the eighteen years of my residence here. We do not usually suffer in this respect except in the latter part of July and to the end of August.” Sheep, cattle, and stock in general are reported everywhere as looking well and healthy.

On the 9th June, about three-quarters of an hour after sunset, a most remarkable phenomenon was witnessed for about twenty minutes in the western sky at places so far apart as Auckland, New Plymouth, Halcombe, Otaki, Nelson, and Hokitika. It must have been over five hundred miles away on the Tasman Sea. It may be described as a “meteoric cloud,” and its appearance that of clear silver-coloured lightning. It was possibly caused by a meteor entering our atmosphere in an eastward and almost horizontal direction and becoming luminous through combustion and disintegration into meteoric dust, caused by the friction of its rapid passage through the atmosphere. At places it appeared like a long streak of luminous cloud, which gradually assumed a “Z” shape. At New Plymouth our observer, Mr. W. G. Palmer, first observed a luminous head, and afterwards another ball of light also appeared lower down. This latter shape it kept for about ten minutes and then finally dissolved. Its azimuth is given near Auckland as about 358°; at New Plymouth, 310°, with an altitude of 35°; at Otaki, W.N.W., with an altitude of about 12°; at Nelson, the azimuth 292°, and altitude 30°. Mr. A. D. Macfarlane, Meteorological Observer at Hokitika, writes: “The peculiar body or meteor which was noticed at Nelson and elsewhere was also observed here. It was noticed in the north-western heavens by a number of people, and for a time appeared to approach rapidly, then gradually faded away. It had the appearance of a large luminous body, with a long wavy ribbon-like tail.” Mr. L. A. MacDonald, of Halcombe, reported: “A most extraordinary aerolite was seen in the western sky on the evening of the 9th. It traversed a zigzag course, and left a brilliant trail against the sky about 30° long; in shape it was not unlike a streak of forked lightning. It preserved its position and luminosity for more than twenty minutes, then it became more diffused and fainter, but it retained a glow equal to that of the zodiacal light for ten minutes longer. While the trail was at its greatest brightness it far outshone the moon, which was at the time entering into her first quarter.”

Meteorological Office, Wellington, 17th July, 1905.
D. C. BATES, F.R.Met.Soc.