JUNE 21] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 825

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May, 1945—continued

NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal are in parentheses the record has been maintained for less than ten years in the case of temperatures and for less than twenty years in the case of rainfall and the normals are partly interpolated.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MAY, 1945

General.—May was a cold, dull month with frequent rain. Conditions have been rather hard on stock, and some feeding out was started in most districts. The ground is very wet and waterlogged, and outdoor farm activities have been hindered.

Rainfall.—May is usually a rather wet month for the North Island and totals this year were above average, there being a few localized exceptions, chiefly near Whangarei, New Plymouth, and Hastings. Between Clarence and Southland totals were all very excessive, often being twice to treble the average, but near Port Hills and Little River they were over four times the average. On the other hand Westland was much drier than usual, and most of Nelson and Marlborough had deficiencies.

Some of the more noteworthy rainfalls which occasioned flooding may be mentioned. The 17th was very wet about the Bay of Plenty, with numerous falls over 5 in. At Matarau, Hicks Bay, there was 7·77 in., followed by 2·70 in. on the 18th, while at Katoa, East Cape, the falls on these days were about 8·20 in. and 1·21 in. respectively. At Little River on the 18th, 19th, and 20th the falls were 5·34, 7·57, and 4·89 in., these being the major contributions to the total of 24·51 in., which exceeded by 4 in. the total for May, 1934, which was hitherto the record of any month during its thirty years of records. The Dunedin area received falls of about 3 in. on the 19th.

Temperature.—Mean temperatures were about 2° F. cooler than average. There were some sharp frosts in nearly all districts. The final days were especially cold, and considerable snow fell on the ranges. The 29th was a very bleak day.

Sunshine.—While sunshine totals were near normal in Auckland and Napier, in most places it was a very dull month. The lack of sunshine was most noticeable in Taranaki, the Manawatu, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.

Weather Sequence.—With an anticyclone to the north at first, the weather was mostly fine and cool; but in the south-west there were a few showers, which increased to rain as a depression passed nearby on the 2nd. Then a cold front advanced north-eastward, bringing a change from strong north-westerlies to westerly or south-westerly winds and rain to most places, amounts being only slight east of the ranges. Behind a secondary cold front on the 4th and 5th winds turned more southerly with showery conditions, including scattered hail or snow. Bright intervals soon increased, and the 7th and 8th were settled with widespread frosts, while an anticyclone passed slowly westward.

North-easterlies gradually strengthened and gave heavy rain over Auckland Peninsula early on the 10th, and as an extensive depression moved slowly south-eastward across the North Island there was rain at times in central and southern districts. A secondary depression which moved from Auckland to east of Hawke’s Bay on the 13th gave further rain, especially on the east coast south of its path. From the 14th to the 16th a pressure col was over New Zealand, and there was much cloud with some fog or drizzle in the South Island.

The 17th to the 20th was a very unsettled period. On the 17th a depression was off Taranaki, while a more vigorous one was moving south-eastward towards Auckland. Dull conditions were general, with some very heavy rains in all eastern districts north of Canterbury, flooding occurring mostly in the Bay of Plenty and Urawera districts. By the 19th the first centre was off Canterbury and another over the middle of the North Island. Southerlies, which were generally strong, increased to gale force south of Christchurch, with intense rain in coastal regions. Flooding was particularly severe at Little River, and also serious at Taieri and Dunedin, but damage occurred in intermediate localities. During the 20th conditions improved from the south and west as the depression moved eastward and an anticyclone over the Tasman Sea was extending on to the South Island. On the 21st and 22nd showers were only isolated and mainly brief.

An anticyclone centred off northern New Zealand gave fairly settled weather from the 23rd to the 25th. Thereafter, with a stationary and extensive anticyclone over south-eastern Australia, changeable and very cold south-westerly conditions persisted. A cold front crossed the country on the 26th. During the 27th a vigorous orographical depression formed over Canterbury and was swept along in the strong squally south-westerly wind current. Ahead of it there were some westerly gales, strongest about Taranaki and South Auckland, and with its passage there were sharp showers of rain, hail, or snow. After a cold front on the 28th winds turned more southerly, and, while conditions were settled west of the Alps, elsewhere spells of very wintry showers continued. Conditions were much improved during the 31st.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND AS AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON MONDAY, 11TH JUNE, 1945

• Expressed in New Zealand currency.

Proportion of reserve (No. 7 less No. 5) to notes and other demand liabilities, 61·427 per cent.

W. R. EGGERS, Chief Accountant.