JUNE 27] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 921

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May, 1946—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Dargaville, April, 1946 | Ft. 3 | °F. 69·8 | °F. 54·0 | °F. 61·9 | (+1·2) | °F. 76·0 | 7 | °F. 38·0 | 18 | In. 6·17 | 19 | (+2·37) | In. 3·07 | 21 | 121·1 |
| Auckland, April, 1946.. | 160 | 67·8 | 57·7 | 62·8 | +1·6 | 75·3 | 7 | 49·0 | 18,25 | 5·72 | 9 | +1·88 | 2·76 | 22 | 132·0 |
| Onepoto, Lake Waikare-moana, April, 1946 | 2,110 | 58·1 | 47·7 | 52·9 | —0·8 | 71·2 | 3 | 41·0 | 17 | 9·31 | 19 | +3·29 | 3·75 | 22 | .. |
| Kapiti Island, April, 1946 | 44 | 63·7 | .. | .. | .. | 69·0 | 22 | .. | .. | 2·83 | 7 | —0·65 | 0·87 | 6 | .. |
| Wainui - o - mata, April, 1946 | 290 | 62·8 | 46·7 | 54·8 | (+1·4) | 70·0 | 4 | 32·6 | 17,26 | 4·00 | 12 | .. | 1·65 | 10 | .. |
| Golden Downs, March, 1946 | 900 | 69·7 | 45·6 | 57·6 | +0·8 | 78·5 | 20 | 32·5 | 6 | 4·00 | 12 | (+1·30) | 1·49 | 1 | .. |
| Golden Downs, April, 1946 | 900 | 62·4 | 40·9 | 51·6 | —0·6 | 72·0 | 5 | 27·5 | 16 | 5·06 | 7 | (+1·04) | 2·37 | 7 | .. |
| Darfield, April, 1946 .. | 640 | 60·9 | 42·2 | 51·6 | (—1·4) | 78·0 | 4,5 | 33·6 | 21 | 1·77 | 7 | —0·54 | 0·73 | 6 | .. |
| Akaroa (Onawe, Duvau-chelle’s Bay), Apl., 1946 | 150 | 61·5 | 48·0 | 54·8 | (—1·0) | 73·2 | 13 | 40·5 | 16 | 1·98 | 11 | (—1·99) | 0·48 | 6 | 118·9 |

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, 1946

General.—Several rather slow-moving depressions to the north and east of the North Island gave a prevalence of easterly or north-easterly winds which brought unsettled conditions to eastern districts, rain being more frequent in the North Island than in the South. Hawke’s Bay especially has received great benefit from the soaking rains. As in April, westerlies were not prominent. The mild wet weather in the north has maintained a good late growth, but in the more southern districts where several sharp frosts occurred this has been checked. Humidities have been high, and drying winds would benefit pastures and also the ground for cultivation.

Rainfall.—Rainfall totals were above average in eastern and central portions of Auckland, also in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington, as well as near the east coast of the South Island. Deficiencies occurred elsewhere, and Murchison, Reefton, Otira, and Invercargill received barely half their usual rain. Amounts were double the average about coastal Hawke’s Bay and from Blenheim to Timaru. Some notable falls were 12·89 in. at Wharerata (Cook County) for the three days 22nd–24th; and on the 17th, Kekerangu received 6·43, Clarence 5·26, and Kaikoura 5·09 in.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were above normal generally, with appreciable departures in northern districts but decreasing towards the south as the result of frosty nights. For the North Island as a whole it was the mildest May since 1928.

Sunshine.—The duration of bright sunshine was almost normal in Taranaki and better than average in Westland, Otago, and Southland, but was poor over the remainder of the country. The deficits averaged at least an hour a day in eastern districts from Waihi to Masterton. The last fortnight was very clear west of the Southern Alps, and Haast, with 178·5 hours, had the highest total this month.

Weather Sequence.—During the opening days an extensive anticyclone centred near Chatham Islands was moving slowly away, while pressure remained low to the north of the Dominion. Strong north-easterly winds were giving rain at times to the east coast north of Tauranga, but settled conditions prevailed elsewhere. A trough arriving on the 3rd gave heavy rain in the far south-west. After a weak cold front passed late on the 4th, a small wedge moved over the South Island. The area of heavy rain had meantime been moving from the far north down the east coast to southern Hawke’s Bay.

The passage of a depression forming on a cold front which began to move north-eastward over the South Island on the 6th was associated with widespread rain.

By the 9th the disturbances were passing off the North Island, and south-westerlies were general. Except for a few showers in the more exposed districts, the weather became fair. A high-pressure ridge was across the North Island on the 12th.

A cold front arriving on the 13th gave some heavy rain in Westland, and behind a secondary the next day an anticyclonic cell moved on to the South Island on the 15th. The two fronts were then giving scattered rains over the North Island, but precipitation became more general on the 16th and later spread to most of the South Island, there being a depression to the north-west while the anticyclone moved away eastward. With a low-pressure area west of Nelson there were some thunderstorms in western districts of the North Island and some heavy easterly rains between Timaru and Cape Campbell on the 17th–18th, but, with the system travelling to the south-east, the 19th was a fair day in most places. An anticyclone was then passing northern New Zealand. This intensified when located to the north-east, and a low in the northern Tasman Sea gradually moved eastward, passing North Cape on the 22nd and continued slowly south-eastward. North-easterly winds were giving scattered rains in the North Island. By the 23rd a fast-moving anticyclone was over southern New Zealand, and winds had become more southerly and strengthened, with considerable rain east of the North Island ranges. As the depression and anticyclone continued eastward the weather was mostly cloudy along the East Coast with patches of rain, especially on the 27th, when a secondary depression was off Canterbury.

The weather on the 28th and 29th was more generally settled, an anticyclone covering New Zealand on the latter day. As it shifted eastwards easterly winds predominated, and scattered showers occurred north of Castlepoint.

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, 17TH JUNE, 1946

• Expressed in New Zealand currency.

Proportion of reserve (No. 7 less No. 5) to notes and other demand liabilities, 70·267 per cent.

W. R. EGGERS, Chief Accountant.