Oct. 23]

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

1713

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

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

LATE RETURNS

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.

SUMMARY OF THE WEATHER FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1947

General.—September was sunny and mild. Crops and pastures have come away well, although in the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne Districts the low rainfall has retarded growth to some extent. Very good milk yields are being obtained in the main dairying districts. Conditions have also been very favourable for sheep-farmers, who report high lambing percentages.

Rainfall.—The rainfall for the month was only about half the average in Central and South Otago and from Hawke’s Bay to East Cape. Moderate excesses occurred over the northern half of the South Island, in the Egmont District, and about Wellington. Elsewhere amounts did not differ greatly from the normal.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were above average, except in the far south-west. In a few places to the east of the Southern Alps the departures amounted to almost three degrees, making this the mildest September in that area for over twenty years. Elsewhere differences from average were of the order of one degree.

Frosts were less frequent and much less severe than is usual in September.

Sunshine.—To the east of the main ranges and over the Wellington Province sunshine was well above average, the excess amounting to as much as forty hours in some places. The figures for Masterton and Ashburton have not been bettered in any September for over thirty years. In Wanganui and Gisborne it was the sunniest September since records commenced ten years ago. Elsewhere totals were slightly below average.

Weather Sequence.—A vigorous cold front moved north-eastwards across the South Island during the 1st, followed by a sharp drop in temperatures and some snow in the far south. Next day a small depression developed over North Taranaki and travelled rapidly eastwards. The North Island high country received a heavy coating of snow, and south-easterlies became strong for a time about Wellington and Taranaki. The weather cleared rapidly, although some brief rain fell in the far south-west on the morning of the 3rd.

A depression passed close to Southland on the 4th, its cold front crossing the country from the west. The weather remained fair east of the main ranges, until a secondary cold front with some showers arrived from the south on the 5th.

Except for a few showers in the west and north, settled weather prevailed until the 9th, a shallow depression which formed in the North Tasman Sea passing harmlessly to the north of New Zealand.

With the approach of an extensive depression from the Central Tasman Sea there was a general deterioration in the weather. South-easterlies freshened over the South Island as an anticyclone built up in the south. On the 11th the south-easterlies reached Cook Strait. By then the centre of the depression was crossing the southern part of the North Island. Later it amalgamated with another depression from the South Tasman which had passed close to Southland on the 12th. Barometers were very low east of the South Island on the 13th, but were rising rapidly in the south, when strong south-westerlies and showery conditions swept rapidly northwards over the Dominion. Winds soon moderated, however, and the weather cleared except for occasional showers on the West Coast.

An anticyclone was centred over North Auckland on the 15th, but pressures remained very low to the south. North-westerlies prevailed and temperatures became warm east of the ranges. The latter area was sheltered from the rain which accompanied the passage of a cold front from the south-west during the 17th and 18th. An anticyclone then moved in from the Tasman Sea, but conditions remained unsettled over North Auckland, where the front had become stationary. During the 20th a wave depression which developed on this front moved rapidly south-eastwards across the Bay of Plenty, while a weak cold front gave some brief showers in the South Island. A general rise of barometric pressure marked the commencement of a spell of pleasant anticyclonic weather.

On the 24th the anticyclone was centred east of the North Island, while a cold front advancing north-eastwards over the South Island was being followed by strong southerlies and cold showery weather. It cleared rapidly in Southland and Westland. On the afternoon of the 25th barometers fell sharply in Hawke’s Bay, where a depression formed and deepened rapidly. Some fresh snow fell on the North Island high country, and southerly winds rose to gale force over most of the Island. Showers became less frequent as the depression moved away south-eastwards. Conditions improved further with the approach of an anticyclone across the North Tasman Sea, although showers began again in Westland and Southland with the passage of several weak troughs in the far south.

On the 29th north-westerlies were strong ahead of an active cold front, which on the following day became more or less stationary between the two Islands as a new depression developed west of Nelson. Heavy rainfall occurred over the central provinces, with some minor flooding about Nelson and Marlborough. At the close of the month the northern branch of the cold front accompanied by a belt of heavy rain had swung in from the west and was beginning to cross the North Island.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Notice to Mariners No. 41 of 1947

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 15th October, 1947.

NEW ZEALAND.—NORTH ISLAND.—AUCKLAND HARBOUR

(1) Amendment to Notice No. 33

(1) Position : Lat., 36° 49′·7 S.; long., 174° 46′·9 E. (approx.).
Amendment : The old Stanley Bay ferry jetty instead of being wholly removed is being demolished for only 566 ft., and approximately 630 ft. left standing.

(2) Light established

(2) A fixed white light will be exhibited from the end of the remaining jetty at a height of 25 ft.
Chart affected : No. 1970.
Publications : New Zealand Pilot, 1946, page 186; New Zealand Nautical Almanac and Tide-tables, page 194.
Authority : Auckland Harbour Board, 9th October, 1947.

W. C. SMITH, Secretary.
(M. 4/2880.)

The Land and Income Tax (Annual) Act, 1947

LAND-TAX PAYABLE

IN accordance with Order in Council dated 22nd October, 1947, I hereby notify that land-tax leviable under the above Act is payable at any office of the Land and Income Tax Department or at any money-order post-office in one sum on Wednesday, 12th November, 1947. The liability is not suspended by any objection, and the tax must be paid on or before Wednesday, 3rd December, 1947, to avoid the additional percentage ; any overpayment will be refunded.

Demands will be issued on or about 5th November, 1947, and must be presented with all payments.

Note.—Owing to unavoidable delay in the issue of assessments to individuals whose surnames commence with any of the letters M to Z, inclusive, the due date for payment in those cases will be extended under section 135 of the Land and Income Tax Act, 1923, and the new date will be shown on the demand.

F. G. OBORN, Commissioner of Taxes.