CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE--continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for October, 1946--continued

LATE RETURNS

| Akaroa (Onawe, Duvau-chelle's Bay), Sept., 1946 | 150 | 58·2 | 43·3 | 50·8 | (+0·6) | 73·8 | 12 | 33·2 | 3 | 10·88 | 10 | (+6·47) | 4·30 | 23 | 147·5 |
| Hermitage, Mount Cook, Sept., 1946 | 2,510 | 49·5 | 33·5 | 41·5 | -0·6 | 60·0 | 13, 21 | 20·0 | 1 | 23·12 | 19 | +10·82 | 8·00 | 14 | 95·5 |
| Milford Sound, Sept., 1946 | 20 | 54·2 | 39·8 | 47·0 | (+0·7) | 60·0 | 12 | 29·7 | 1 | 24·36 | 18 | (+5·53) | 3·91 | 10 | .. |
| East Gore, Aug., 1946. | 245 | 51·9 | 35·1 | 43·5 | +1·0 | 59·0 | 1 | 27·0 | 29 | 3·52 | 18 | +1·34 | 0·85 | 6 | .. |
| East Gore, Sept., 1946 | 245 | 56·1 | 37·7 | 46·9 | --0·3 | 72·0 | 14 | 25·0 | 3 | 2·59 | 17 | +0·00 | 0·85 | 14 | .. |

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 OCTOBER, 1946

General.—The weather in October was cool and changeable. There was a predominance of westerly and south-westerly winds which caused fairly frequent showers, especially in localities exposed to these directions. Growth has been rather slow, and wet ground has hindered cropping work.

Rainfall.—Most totals were above normal. The chief exceptions were the Gisborne district with moderate deficiencies, and southern Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago with slight deficiencies. Many places in Canterbury, Southland, and Stewart Island, as well as isolated elevated localities in the North Island, had surpluses of 50 per cent. or more.

The rains of the 15th and 16th were unusually heavy in the far south-western high country of the South Island, and flooding resulted.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were below normal generally. Departures were about 2° F. for the South Island and higher-level localities of the North Island. Over the remainder of the latter, values were usually about 1° F. below normal.

The 20th was notable for the widespread snow showers affecting many parts of the South Island and the hills of the North Island. Frosts on the 22nd were very damaging, especially in Hawke’s Bay.

Sunshine.—Except between Wellington and Gisborne, as well as at New Plymouth, the duration of sunshine was less than usual, the largest deficiencies occurring in Otago.

Weather Sequence.—During the Ist the centre of a deep depression passed to the south-east of Southland. Strong north-easterlies later backed westerly and rain was widespread, falls being mainly light east of the ranges but heavy elsewhere. Another depression from the central Tasman Sea moved across the North Island on the 4th, when fresh southerlies gave intermittent rain near Cook Strait and showers farther north.

After a clearance from the west, some deterioration accompanied the north-eastward passage of a cold front on the 5th and 6th. A small anticyclone followed.

A depression travelled east to the north of the Dominion on the 8th. This caused some rain from Auckland northwards, while elsewhere it continued mainly fair.

As a westerly depression passed to the south on the 9th north-westerlies began to freshen, and rain was heavy for a time in Westland and showers spread to other western districts. There was a considerable clearance after the associated cold front swept over the country, and a weak wedge covered northern districts on the 11th. Another cold front then began its north-eastward passage, bringing a period of showers to western districts. A wedge soon followed with mostly fair weather.

The next frontal system fluctuated near south-western New Zealand and was in the Otago region on the 15th and 16th, when very heavy rain fell in South Westland, Western Otago, and Southland, where lakes and rivers were unusually high and local flooding occurred. Temperatures were very warm in eastern districts, but the cold front advanced on the 17th and 18th, while a depression from the northern Tasman approached Auckland. Southerly winds brought moderate rain to eastern districts, while north-easterlies caused general rain over the northern half of the North Island. South-westerlies were general by the 20th, the depression being then east of Gisborne. Temperatures became much colder and hail and snow were widespread, more especially in Southland, Otago, and Canterbury. It was temporarily fine on the 21st in Westland, but with an anticyclone located to the north, westerly to south-westerly winds predominated, with occasional showers in exposed districts.

On the 25th the anticyclone moved to the north-east, and a trough began to advance on to the South Island. Its cold front passed east off the North Island on the 25th and a secondary followed a day later. Westerly or north-westerly winds predominated, with mainly fair weather on the east coast but occasional showers elsewhere. A depression passing eastward across Auckland on the 28th caused moderate rain in central and northern districts. A cold front moved north-eastward over the country on the 29th and 30th, and south-westerly winds prevailed with some occasional showers in most places.

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 NOVEMBER, 1946

Liabilities

Assets

• Expressed in New Zealand currency.

Proportion of reserve (No. 7 less No. 5) to notes and other demand liabilities, 73·779 per cent.

W. R. EGGERS, Chief Accountant.