Nov. 16.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2663

Many observers send in useful and valuable notes with regard to the effects of the weather, which are believed to be of more than local interest. For example, the October report from Mr. J. Guylee, of Waituna West, near Feilding, is as follows: “A wet month, but, fortunately, not a particularly cold one. The rain generally fell as driving showers, rather than as steady downpours. A day or two towards the end of the month were particularly nasty. The continued moisture has proved favourable to all vegetation with established roots (feed being now practically ahead of the stock), but all without, as newly planted or sown seeds, &c., have in many instances failed to germinate, or, if germination took place, no headway has been made owing to lack of sunshine. Vegetation is likely to suffer now whether the weather remains wet or sets in dry. If wet, it will go ahead and make too luxuriant a growth without substance, and dry weather will most probably bring frost, which will nip off the tender growth, and it may even become so dry as to scorch it up. This last is not at all improbable, for I have noticed as the result of many years observations—casually at first, but regularly and carefully later—that our seasons, at least in my district, follow the run of the corresponding season last passed in England. The report I got was, ‘Very wet spring, followed by a very dry summer—in fact, by a drought on a small scale. Lambing good. Heavy crops a failure, except in case of paddocks shut up very early. Grain stunted.’ And I have no reason to doubt that something like that will be our case this season. Towards the end of the month the walnut, ash, and elm trees broke into leaf in the order named, the English elm being in advance of the American or broadleaf variety. The poplars were out very early in the month. Fruit-trees are now in bloom, and give promise, under favourable conditions, of heavy crops, the pears being particularly gay.”

Although very wide and open to great exception, Mr. Guylee’s idea of the progression of the seasons to the Antipodes is certainly interesting and worthy of examination. If, as may be easily imagined, a definite relation exists between the seasons of the two hemispheres and different countries, their correlation must be sought for by inductive and deductive methods from both the records of meteorological phenomena and solar physics. The sun is the dominant factor in all climatic changes, and sun-spots show that it itself is subject to great variations. Other alterations may go on within the luminous veil which are invisible to us, but their effects may be radiated and possibly be traced in the vegetation, &c. When the sun crosses the Equator and leaves that side of the hemisphere where the land is more extensive it may carry forward conditions and continue effects which are modified and not so evident when the insolation spends itself on the wider oceans of the south. Consideration of the differences in radiation between land and water may lead us to look backward to the old world for indications of climatic changes. Differences in evaporation from the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic Oceans during our summer may also have modifying influences on the following seasons in the other hemisphere, and investigation of this subject may prove of great value.

Meteorological Office, Wellington, 14th November, 1905. D. C. BATES, F.R.Met.Soc.

Surveyors licensed.

Office of the Surveyors’ Board,
Government Buildings,
Wellington, 10th November, 1905.

IT is hereby notified for general information that licenses under “The New Zealand Institute of Surveyors and Board of Examiners Act, 1900,” have been issued to the following surveyors by the Surveyors’ Board:—

Surveyor. Address.
BOGLE, ARCHIBALD HUGH .. .. Wellington.
HARROP, FREDERICK JAMES .. .. Hokitika.
MILLER, MONTAGUE HORATIO .. .. Auckland.
PAVITT, HAROLD HASTINGS .. .. Wellington.
WEDDE, FREDERICK ALEXANDER .. .. Wellington.

C. E. ADAMS,
Secretary, Surveyors’ Board.

Examination for Mine-managers’ and Battery-superintendents’ Certificates.

Mines Department,
Wellington, 2nd November, 1905.

AN examination of candidates for certificates as First- and Second-class Mine-managers and Battery-superintendents, under “The Mining Act, 1905,” and First- and Second-class Mine-managers under “The Coal-mines Act, 1905,” will be held on Tuesday, the 23rd January, 1906, and following days, at places to be hereafter named. All applications, with necessary certificates, and fee of £1 by post-office order, should be addressed to “The Secretary of the Board of Examiners under the Mining Act [or Coal-mines Act], Wellington,” and must be received before the 23rd December. Forms of application may be obtained at School of Mines, Thames, Waihi, and Coromandel, also from Inspector of Mines, Thames, Westport, and Dunedin.

T. H. HAMER,
Secretary to the Board of Examiners.

[NOTE.—No candidate will be permitted to present himself for examination unless he holds an authority from the Secretary, stating that his certificate of service has been accepted by the Board.]

Examination for Dredgemasters’ Certificates.

Mines Department,
Wellington, 2nd November, 1905.

AN examination of candidates for certificates as dredgemasters, under “The Mining Act, 1905,” will be held on Tuesday, the 30th January, 1906, at Greymouth and Dunedin. All applications, with necessary certificates, and fee of £1 by post-office order, should be addressed to “The Secretary of the Board of Examiners under the Mining Act, Wellington,” and must be received before the 2nd January, 1906. Forms of application may be obtained from Inspector of Mines, Westport and Dunedin.

T. H. HAMER,
Secretary to the Board of Examiners.

[NOTE.—No candidate will be permitted to present himself for examination unless he holds an authority from the Secretary stating that his certificate of service has been accepted by the Board.]

The Education District of South Canterbury.—Election of Member.

Education Office,
Timaru, 7th November, 1905.

IT is hereby notified, in accordance with section 26 of “The Education Act, 1904,” that

THOMAS SHERRATT

has been duly elected a member of the Education Board of the District of South Canterbury, to fill the extraordinary vacancy caused by the death of Mr. D. McCaskill.

The number of valid votes recorded for each candidate was—

Sherratt, Thomas.. .. .. .. 129
Chapple, Rev. J. H. G. .. .. .. 84
Meredith, Richard .. .. .. 54
Stirling, William .. .. .. 14

The total number of valid votes recorded was 281. The total number of votes rejected as informal was 19.

A. BELL,
Returning Officer.

The Education District of Auckland.—Election of Member.

Education Office,
Auckland, 8th November, 1905.

IN accordance with the provisions of “The Education Act, 1904,” it is hereby notified that

GERALD LOFTUS PEACOCKE

has been elected a member of the Education Board of the District of Auckland, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Richard Hobbs.

The number of valid votes recorded for each candidate is as follows:—

Gerald Loftus Peacocke .. .. .. 750
Stapleton Cotton Caulton .. .. .. 331

Total number of valid votes recorded, 1,081. The number of voting-papers rejected as informal is 89.

VINCENT E. RICE,
Returning Officer.