MAY 25] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 621

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR APRIL, 1944.

General.—April was a mild and rather cloudy month, with frequent rain in most districts. Conditions have promoted further growth, although the season has not proved very good for fattening stock. Prospects for the winter are very favourable.

Rainfall.—Rainfall was deficient in eastern districts from the Bay of Plenty to Marlborough, totals being appreciably less than half the average about northern and central Hawke’s Bay. Elsewhere rainfall was in excess. About twice the average amount fell in western Nelson and proportionately more from Culverden to Balclutha. Near Dunedin totals exceeded thrice the average, chiefly as the result of exceptional rain on the 5th and 6th. On the latter day several falls exceeded 4 in. and caused minor flooding.

Temperatures were milder than usual, departures exceeding two degrees in the western portion of the Wellington Province. There were several frosts, which were sharp only locally.

Sunshine totals were below normal in most places, particularly so in Napier, Hanmer, Hokitika, and Westport, all of which averaged at least one hour a day less than average. On the other hand, Wanganui (172·0 hours) and Gisborne (169·4 hours) experienced a particularly sunny month, while Invercargill had a slight surplus.

Weather Sequence.—Fine, anticyclonic conditions prevailed at first, but a deepening depression which moved from the north-west to south of New Zealand on the 2nd and 3rd gave considerable rain in and west of the southern ranges and north-westerly gales in central and southern areas. The trough of this depression reached Cook Strait on the 5th, when a shallow disturbance located to the north caused a deterioration to spread from the north, with unsettled conditions becoming general. Another depression on this trough, which between the 5th and 7th moved from north of Westland to east of Otago, was accompanied by many heavy falls, and most of the North Island received some heavy showers as the cold front passed. Winds turned more generally to the south-west and the weather improved, especially east of the North Island ranges.

A cold front from the south-west brought scattered showers with some thunder on the 8th and 9th, but an early improvement followed. Extensive rain commenced in and west of the South Island ranges on the 11th, a depression moving to the east of Otago on the 12th, and most districts received a period of rain with the passage of the associated cold front, but east of the main ranges the amount was small.

From the 13th to 15th a cold front advanced slowly from the south, while a depression remained south of Lord Howe Island and an anticyclone moved to the east of the South Island and intensified. There was little rain. A complex system associated with the depression moved across New Zealand on the 17th and 18th, giving dull weather generally and heavy rain in North Auckland, western Nelson, and Westland. A new low-pressure centre developed north of New Zealand on the 18th, causing fresh easterlies over the Auckland Province, with rain extending south to Wairoa. Further south, under the influence of a transient anticyclone, there was a clearance. Rain ceased in the Gisborne area on the 21st when, however, a trough with a narrow band of rain commenced to move eastward across New Zealand.

On the 24th, with an anticyclone to the north and a deep depression approaching in the south-west, north-westerly winds increased, later reaching gale force in places. A secondary centre formed off Westland and moved into the deepened southern centre, the associated trough crossing the North Island on the 25th. Fairly general rain occurred, being heavy in the ranges of both Islands, but to the eastward, falls were light. Westerly conditions persisted on the 26th and 27th, with passing showers in southern and western districts. Winds tended south-westerly as a high-pressure wedge advanced, and the weather became mainly fair and cool. A trough passed on the 29th, with a low remaining east of Canterbury. Conditions were changeable with showery periods in most districts, and at 4 a.m. a tornado swept across Westport, damaging houses in its path. On the 30th fresh southerlies advanced up the east coast to Cook Strait.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Abstract of Railways Working Account

FOUR-WEEKLY PERIOD ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1944

1ST APRIL, 1943, TO 31ST MARCH, 1944

ANALYSIS OF RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUE AND TRAFFIC

ANALYSIS OF RAILWAY OPERATING EXPENDITURE

Capital cost of open lines as at 31st March, 1943 .. 68,685,063 £

Sitting of the Native Land Court at Nelson on the 6th June, 1944

Registrar’s Office, Wellington, 9th May, 1944.

NOTICE is hereby given that the matters mentioned in the Schedule hereunder written will be heard by the Native Land Court sitting at Nelson on the 6th day of June, 1944.

[South Island, 1944/5–1.]

P. H. DUDSON, Registrar.

SCHEDULE

C