MAY 22] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 629

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April, 1947—continued

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

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SUMMARY OF WEATHER FOR APRIL, 1947

General.—Over the greater part of the country April was cloudy and mild, with a notable absence of westerly winds. Easterlies were strong at times in the north, but winds in general were light. Substantial rains fell in most districts where it was urgently required, though more rain is needed in inland districts of Otago and Southland. Autumn growth over most of the North Island was exceptional, while there were far fewer frosts than normal. Stock is reported to be in very satisfactory condition. The absence of drying winds again delayed harvesting in Canterbury.

Rainfall.—The total rainfall for the month was again well below average in the western and southern parts of the South Island. In Taranaki, Manawatu, and west of the Tararuas there were small deficiencies. Rainfall was in excess over the remainder of the country. Over double the average amount fell on the east coast of the Auckland Peninsula, near Gisborne, and in North Canterbury.

During the 19th and 20th there was considerable thunderstorm activity in the north, one storm of exceptional severity passing over Auckland City.

Temperatures.—In Nelson, Westland, and over most of the North Island mean temperatures were slightly above normal. The remainder of the South Island, also the Gisborne and Wairarapa districts, were slightly cooler than usual, highest deficiencies being in Canterbury.

Sunshine.—Except in Taranaki, the North Island sunshine was below average, especially over the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay Provinces, where the deficiency exceeded the equivalent of an hour a day. Only in Canterbury and coastal Otago were sunshine totals below average in the South Island. The West Coast for the third consecutive month was much sunnier than usual.

Weather Sequence.—The weather was fair and warm at the start of the month. By the morning of the 2nd conditions had deteriorated in Southland ahead of a trough which, later in its slow north-eastward passage across the country, was accompanied by a belt of rain. An anticyclone followed, and the weather cleared rapidly in the South Island. The development of a depression north-east of Russell on the 4th delayed the clearance on the east coast of the Auckland Peninsula, where strong south-easterly winds and showery weather persisted until the 6th. The Gisborne District was also affected by this depression, but elsewhere conditions remained settled until the 8th.

On the 9th a cold front from the south-west brought some brief rain to most districts. It was followed by a marked drop in temperatures. In the rear of a similar front which reached Wellington early on the 11th an anticyclone built up, the centre moving rapidly eastwards across the South Island. South-easterlies temporarily reached gale force about Cook Strait, but winds soon turned north-easterly and moderated. The front became stationary over the Auckland District, and over most of the North Island the weather remained rather unsettled.

With the advance of a large depression towards the Buller District on the 13th rain spread over the whole of the South Island. Next morning one centre was near Westport, while another had formed east of Banks Peninsula. During that day the former suddenly deepened and began to move rapidly north-eastwards, carrying heavy rain to the southern half of the North Island. By the time the centre crossed the Bay of Plenty on the following morning, the South Island had entered on a spell of settled weather and light winds, which persisted until the 19th. Although conditions improved rapidly over the North Island, the weather remained rather showery about Gisborne for several days.

North-easterly gales accompanied by heavy rain had developed in North Auckland by the morning of the 19th. This was the forerunner of an extensive depression from the north-west, which during the following twenty-four hours caused a general deterioration over the whole country. The heaviest rainfall was experienced in eastern and northern districts of the North Island, where some violent thunderstorms were reported. With the formation of a new depression east of Gisborne on the 20th, the original cyclone turned eastwards, crossed the Auckland Peninsula and filled up. An improvement over the South Island during the 21st was very short-lived, the development of a small but active depression off Westland again bringing widespread cloud and rain.

The 23rd was cloudy, with fog and drizzle in many places. The Dominion then came under the influence of a large though relatively shallow depression, which moved eastwards across the southern part of the North Island on the 25th. Few places failed to receive rain during its passage, heaviest falls being recorded about Taranaki, Nelson, and Wellington.

On the 26th an anticyclone built up south of Norfolk Island, while a cold front reached Southland from the south-west. During its progress up the country the front produced some heavy rain in Westland, but only scattered showers elsewhere. An anticyclone which followed spread north-eastwards over the country. Skies remained rather cloudy, while drizzle or fog was widespread on the east coast on the morning of the 28th.

Rain again set in over the Auckland Peninsula on the 29th as a depression moved slowly eastwards past the northern tip of the Dominion. Easterlies became strong in the north and scattered rain extended southwards over most of the Auckland Province. Settled weather continued elsewhere until the end of the month, although by that time it was still raining in the far north.

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 WEDNESDAY, 7TH MAY, 1947

*Expressed in New Zealand currency.

Proportion of reserve (No. 7 less No. 5) to notes and other demand liabilities, 77·323 per cent.

W. R. EGGERS, Chief Accountant.