1548 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE [No. 98

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER, 1944

General.—As in October, the weather during November was very changeable. Winds from a westerly quarter were often strong. There was an unusual number of thunderstorms, some with hail which caused some very localized damage to gardens and orchards. Conditions have been very favourable for dairying in Taranaki, but have been too dry in Auckland Province. Lambs in several sheep districts are reported to be not fattening as well as usual. In the more southern districts the season as a whole continues to be two or three weeks late.

Rainfall.—Precipitation was often of a showery nature which, together with the occurrence of thunderstorms, accounted for the erratic distribution of rainfall. All the Auckland Province and most other North Island districts were drier than usual, especially so in the Auckland peninsula. In parts of Southern Hawke's Bay, southern Taranaki, and near the Tararuas some places received the average or a little more. The South Island was, as a whole, wetter than usual, the largest percentage excesses occurring between Banks Peninsula and Kaikoura. Locally near Nelson City, and in the Havelock region, falls were well below average, and a few scattered places, chiefly in Central Otago and Southland, had slight deficiencies.

Temperatures.—There were no very marked extremes of temperature, which, on the average, tended to be slightly above normal east of the main ranges of the North Island and slightly below elsewhere. A late frost damaged gardens in several parts of Canterbury on the 24th.

Sunshine.—Sunshine totals were some hours short of the average on the west coast of the South Island, and also south of Dunedin. Elsewhere the values were higher than average, the best excesses occurring north of the Manawatu. Tauranga, with 275.6 hours, was the most outstanding place for the month.

Weather Sequence.—At first, New Zealand was within a high-pressure belt with fair weather, but as a cold front moved north-eastward and a depression developed off Canterbury south-westerlies advanced over the South Island with moderate rain, which persisted awhile on the east coast, while brief showers extended to the North Island. Although it was better generally on the 4th, there was increased shower activity again at night, more especially in southern Hawke's Bay, Nelson, and Marlborough districts. It was more generally settled on the 6th as a ridge of high pressure passed New Zealand. However, a cold front reaching Southland late that day weakened over Auckland Province on the 8th and gave moderate rain in Westland, but not much elsewhere except in the Tararuas. Pressure rose to the east, but on the 9th a trough crossed the country with freshening north-easterlies or northerlies which backed north-westerly, there being heavy rain about and west of the Alps and lesser falls in other Western districts. The following day an anticyclone covered most of New Zealand, with fair warm weather.

This system was displaced by a very shallow trough in which a small low developed off Canterbury, there being rain and some thunder in and west of the Alps on the 11th and 12th and occasional showers extended to Otago.

Another trough moved up to Cook Strait on the 14th with isolated showers, but late that day a deepening depression moved slowly south-eastward past Puysegur Point and caused north-westerly gales in several places and heavy rain in Westland. Elsewhere the rain was mostly very light.

A frontal system moving from the south-west was accompanied in the early hours of the 17th by brief thunderstorms, isolated in Westland, but widespread throughout the centre of the North Island. The weather cleared rapidly. A depression which crossed central New Zealand early on the 18th caused westerly gales in the north and gave moderate rain, which, however, was more intense locally near Stratford and became heavy on the coast north of Christchurch. The associated fronts to the north gave further brief but widespread thunderstorms.

During the 19th a weak wedge came over the country, south-westerlies giving only isolated showers. A disturbance passed over the North Island on the 20th with patchy rain, mostly in South Auckland and Taranaki. On the following two days a trough associated with a low to the south moved across the Dominion. Ahead, northerly gales with heavy rain occurred in Westland, and north-westerlies were strong in central districts. Haze produced by Australian dust became very widespread and thick throughout Auckland and Taranaki Provinces by the 21st, but the atmosphere cleared following showers and the backing of the wind to westerly or south-westerly. The south-westerly type of situation persisted until the 24th, passing showers occurring mainly in Westland and Southland with some hail and snow on the ranges. Mid-Canterbury had a showery period late on the 23rd and experienced ground frosts the next morning.

As an anticyclone moved east of New Zealand, winds tended north-westerly and increased in places to gale force ahead of a cold front, which reached Southland late on the 25th and passed off Auckland forty-eight hours later. Fairly heavy rain was experienced in Southland, Westland, and Nelson, and moderate amounts fell in Taranaki and mainly lesser amounts elsewhere. A change to moderate to fresh westerlies or south-westerlies followed. A secondary cold front brought colder south-westerlies and occasional showers, but it improved from the west as a wedge advanced and became fair on the 29th and 30th. On the last day a trough approaching the far south-west was starting a deterioration.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Sitting of the Native Land Court and Maori Land Board at Kaitaia on the 16th January, 1945

Office of the Native Land Court, Auckland, 11th December, 1944.

NOTICE is hereby given that the matters mentioned in the Schedule hereunder will be heard by the Native Land Court and Maori Land Board sitting at Kaitaia on Tuesday, the 16th January, 1945, at 10.30 a.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Court and the Board will allow.

J. H. ROBERTSON, Registrar.

[Tokerau, 1944/45-12.]

Sitting of the Native Land Court at Temuka on Thursday, 25th January, 1945

Registrar's Office, Wellington, 14th December, 1944.

NOTICE is hereby given that the matters included in the Schedule hereunder written will be heard by the Native Land Court sitting at Temuka on Thursday, the 25th day of January, 1945, or as soon thereafter as the business of the Court will allow.

P. H. DUDSON, Registrar.

[Waipounamu, 1944/5-6.]