322
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
[No. 20

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY, 1945

General.—February was a dull unsettled month. The general westerly wind movement was weak, a condition favouring the development of depressions. Rain was exceptionally heavy in the South Island. Falls commencing in the south-west about the 16th and continuing on the east coast to the 21st produced flooding in streams and serious rises in all the rivers. Surface flooding occurred in many areas, but the most extensive was in South Canterbury, where the inundations were the worst for many decades. Growth everywhere has been exceptional, and for the North Island conditions on the whole have been favourable to farming interests. High humidities, however, have encouraged various blights. The poor sunshine of this summer has had a bad effect on many South Island crops and pastures.

Rainfall.—The only places with less than average rainfall were parts of the Auckland Peninsula, the Bay of Plenty - East Cape area, most of the Manawatu, and near Invercargill. Excesses in the North Island were mostly moderate, but Wellington City and most of the South Island, with the exception of Southland, had at least double the average rain. Throughout Canterbury and northern Otago most totals exceeded three times the average and were over six times the average near Orari, where 11·84 inches fell on the 20th and 21st.

Mean Temperatures.—Temperatures were relatively uniform throughout the month, and mean values did not depart very much from normal. In the west and south of the South Island, however, several places were 1° or 2° F. above normal.

Sunshine.—Sunshine totals were above average in Hawke’s Bay and Auckland Provinces and considerably so in North Auckland. Elsewhere sunshine was deficient. For most of Wellington Province and the South Island values were at least an hour a day below average, and for parts of Canterbury the daily deficiency was over two hours.

Weather Sequence.—Freshening north-westerlies ahead of a trough gave rain in and west of the high country of the South Island late on the 1st. A temporary improvement followed, but with a depression crossing south-eastward over the South Island and the trough moving eastward across the North Island on the 3rd.

Most districts had some rain, heaviest in the west. During the 4th conditions improved from the south and west and an anticyclone was over New Zealand on the 5th. A frontal zone reached Southland late on the 6th and moved off Auckland by the 9th. It brought heavy rain to Westland and moderate amounts to other districts and was followed by a southerly change. During the 8th an anticyclone extended on to the South Island, where conditions improved. As a result of a small depression forming over Taranaki late on the 8th a shallow low-pressure area remained over the North Island until the 12th, with scattered but occasionally heavy rains. A small low from the north caused heavy rain in the Gisborne region on the 10th and this rain band shifted gradually, finally affecting South Canterbury on the 12th.

Scattered but decreasing rains were occurring in many districts, but on the 14th the low-pressure area was filling up east of the South Island, while an anticyclone to the north was intensifying. The 15th was a fine day generally. Following the north-eastward shift of the anticyclone cloud increased in the south, and south Westland had heavy rain on the 16th. Thereafter occasional rains occurred in Westland, Otago, and Southland.

On the 19th a cold front was advancing slowly over Otago, with an anticyclone located to the south-west. A depression which was north-west of Westland moved south-eastward past Banks Peninsula during the 21st. Until then very heavy falls occurred in and west of the Alps, and the strong south-easterly change as it progressed very slowly from east Otago to mid-Canterbury had a band of steady rain, the resulting falls being exceptionally heavy in South Canterbury. The cold front was accelerating after passing Canterbury, and thereafter the period of heavy rain was much less protracted. By the 23rd the anticyclone covered all the South Island, where it had become fine and, as the anticyclone moved slowly north-eastward, conditions were settled generally. During the 27th a deterioration commenced, there being a deep depression off south-western New Zealand, towards which another low was advancing from the north. Strong northerlies brought considerable rain to western districts, south Westland having very heavy falls once again, and flooding occurred in the Takaka region.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Excluding Land from the Mahoenui Development Scheme

Pursuant to subsection (2) of section 4 of the Native Land Amendment Act, 1936, the Board of Native Affairs hereby revokes, so far as it affects the land described in the Schedule hereto, a certain notice dated the 3rd day of April, 1930, and published in the New Zealand Gazette No. 30 of the 17th day of the same month at page 1452, whereby the provisions of subsection (3) of section 23 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1929 (now Part I of the Native Land Amendment Act, 1936), were applied to, inter alia, the said land described in the Schedule hereto, and such land is hereby excluded from the Mahoenui Development Scheme.

SCHEDULE

Land. Survey District. Area.
A. R. P.
Mahoenui 3B 3B Totoro 48 2 24
„ 3B 30 „ 96 2 28
————
145 1 12

Dated at Wellington, this 14th day of March, 1945.

For and on behalf of the Board of Native Affairs—
G. P. SHEPHERD,
Under-Secretary of the Native Department.

(N.D. 1/2/5)

Sale of Surplus War Assets

The War Assets Realization Board, Defence Services Building, Bunny Street, Wellington (Postal address, Box 5080, Lambton Quay, Wellington), invites offers for the following:—

1. Carbide, in drums of 100 and 110 lb. Stocks at Hikurangi, Kamo, Christchurch, Greymouth, Blackball, and Dobson.

2. One only three-oven Salamander range complete, insulated; hot-water boiler; oil-burning equipment; fitted with stoves, catches, handrails, flue, &c. May be inspected at Post and Telegraph Department’s Store, Newmarket, Auckland.

3. Two steam-driven generating sets, situated at Blackball State Colliery and at State Mine at Mangapehi, respectively.

4. Power plant at Hanmer Springs, formerly used for production of electric light at Queen Mary Hospital and Hanmer Township.

5. One only log-hauler in Northern Military District’s Vehicle Reception Depot at Mechanics Bay, Auckland, where it can be inspected.

Offers close with the Board’s Secretary, to whom they should be addressed in envelopes marked “Offer for . . . . . . .” at noon on Monday, 9th April, 1945. Further particulars may be obtained from the Board’s Wellington office and from the offices of the Board’s District Executive Officers, care of Public Works Department, Auckland and Christchurch.

The Board also announces that heavy galvanized 44-gallon drums are for sale at £2 5s. each, and that application should be made to Army Headquarters, Wellington, and Defence Headquarters, Auckland and Christchurch.

O. CONIBEAR, Secretary,
War Assets Realization Board, Wellington.

CROWN LANDS NOTICES

Land in Auckland Land District for Selection on Optional Tenures

Auckland District Lands and Survey Office,
Auckland, 20th March, 1945.

Notice is hereby given that the undermentioned property is open for selection on optional tenures under the Land Act, 1924; and applications will be received at the Auckland District Lands and Survey Office, Auckland, up to 4 o’clock p.m. on Friday, 27th April, 1945.

Applicants should appear personally for examination at the Auckland District Lands and Survey Office, Auckland, on Tuesday, 1st May, 1945, at 10.30 o’clock a.m., but if any applicant is unable to attend he may be examined by any other Land Board or by any Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Applicants are required to produce for inspection when examined documentary evidence of their financial position and farming experience.

The ballot will be held immediately upon conclusion of the examination of applicants, and the successful applicant will be required to pay immediately at conclusion of ballot a deposit comprising the first half-year’s rent, broken-period rent, lease fee, and amount in reduction of weighting for improvements.

SCHEDULE

Auckland Land District.—Second-class Land
Ohinemuri County.—Katikati Survey District

Sections 27 and 32, Block IV: Area, 502 acres 0 roods 37 perches. Capital value, £255. Deposit on deferred payments, £15: Half-yearly instalment on deferred payments (term: 34½ years), £7 16s. Renewable lease: Half-yearly rent, £5 2s.

Weighted with £1,093 for improvements, comprising dwelling of four rooms, wool-shed, cow-byre, and yard, hut, ram pump, piping, and 800 gallon tank, half-share in 150 chains boundary-fencing, 70 chains road-fencing, and 278 chains subdivisional fencing, 100 acres bush felled, burned, and grassed, 50 acres cultivated and grassed. This sum is payable in cash, or, after payment of a deposit of £101, the sum of £930 may be secured to the Crown and repaid over a period of thirty-six years and a half by equal half-yearly instalments of principal and interest of £27 18s. each, and the balance of £62 secured on mortgage to the former lessee; term, five years, with equal annual payments of principal plus interest on the outstanding principal of 5 per cent. per annum.

The land is situated fronting Woodlands Road, eleven miles from Waihi, seven miles from Waimata Railway-station and School. Access is by metalled road from Waihi, the last few miles being rough and in poor order; cream collected. Watered by streams, ram pump installed supplying dwelling and cow-shed. Soil is light loam on clay formation. Few steep gullies, but mainly undulating to easy hill land 200–700 ft. above sea-level. Subdivided into nine paddocks; 86 acres bush, 241 acres fern country, 25 acres reverted to second growth, balance in medium and poor pasture. Blackberry and ragwort prevalent. In present condition the property is capable of carrying about thirty-five dairy cows.

Any further particulars required may be obtained from the undersigned.

K. M. GRAHAM,
Commissioner of Crown Lands.

(H.O. 22/3671; D.O. M.L. 4402.)