FEB. 24 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 637

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for January, 1949—continued

Air Temperatures in Degrees (Fahrenheit).

Station Means of Mean Difference Absolute Maximum and Rainfall in Inches. Minimum Maximum Fall Bright No. of Sun- Days. Difference from from Normal. Date Date Total Rain Normal.

Amount Date Hours

Musseiburgh, Dunedin Ft. 5 62-0 50-3 56-2 (-3-0) 71-0 22 40-0 29 1-83 16 (-0-79) 0-31 11,30 155-2

Taiieri 80 63-6 47-4 55-6 (-2-2) 75-8 22 31-9 29 1-63 17 (-0-39) 0-41 6 6

East Gore 245 65-9 46-7 56-2 (-1-8) 81-0 22 33-0 29 3-12 16 (-0-81) 0-56 30

Gore 240 66-4 46-0 56-6 (-2-1) 81-0 22 34-5 29 3-16 16 (-0-48) 0-62 30 174-1

L.vercargill 32 64-3 46-1 55-8 (-1-6) 79-8 22 36-3 13 3-63 22 (-0-41) 1-23 30

L.vercargill South 8 63-8 48-0 55-8 (-1-3) 70-5 22 34-0 13 3-63 21 (-0-53) 1-23 30

LATE RETURNS

Te Anau, Dec., 1948 46 73-9 55-3 64-7 (+0-8) 89-0 28 39-5 3 2-86 13 (-1-55) 1-70 31

Timaru, Dec., 1948 56 71-5 49-5 80-4 (+1-8) 90-0 15 35-4 3 0-63 5 (-0-99) 0-28 1

Waimate, Dec., 1948 200 72-1 48-1 60-1 (-1-9) 87-6 28 38-0 16 4-42 5 (-2-50) 0-12 1 165-6

Queenstown, Dec., 1948 1,100 68-2 47-1 57-6 (-0-5) 85-9 29 38-4 3,4 0-25 12 (+1-88) 2-00 14 285-4

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR JANUARY, 1949

At stations where departures from normal are in the case of rainfall these records has been
maintained for less than ten years the normals are partly interpolated.

General.—There was little settled weather in January, conditions in general being cloudy and cool. Useful rains in most districts maintained good pasture growth in excellent soil conditions hindering haymaking and harvesting. Lack of sunshine has delayed the ripening of some fruits. Stock is reported to be in wonderful condition, and dairy production was maintained at a high level.

Rainfall—Rainfall was above-normal in Marlborough, Canterbury (except South Canterbury), Gisborne, Hawkes Bay ; in South Taranaki it was the wettest January for twenty-five years. There was a substantial excess in central and southern districts. In Otago the distribution was rather patchy, totals reaching the average on the South-east coast and in deficient in most other districts. As many as six thunderstorms were recorded as six. The majority occurred on 6th, 7th, 8th, 19th, 20th, and 26th. A hailstorm of exceptional severity broke many windows and glasshouses in Mataroa on the 19th. Serious hail damage to the fruit and tobacco crops of the Motueka district occurred on the 26th.

Temperatures—Mean temperatures were generally below normal. The departure was greatest east of the ranges, and amounted to 4° F. in parts of Canterbury and Marlborough. At Hanmer Springs it was the coolest January for over forty years.

In the South Island ranges received a good coating of snow on the 26th, and widespread frosts occurred on the following two nights. Sunshine—Sunshine totals were below average. The deficiency was small in western and northern districts, but in other parts of the South Island it ranged from twenty to fifty hours. The deficiency was small in western and northern districts, but in other parts of the South Island it ranged from twenty to fifty hours.

On the West Coast the weather was very unsettled, with frequent heavy falls of rain on the Kaikoura Coast on the 3rd. Buller Bay received some heavy falls on the 6th. Hail and thunderstorms were reported from many districts on the afternoon of the 6th. Hail of an inch in diameter fell in the Gisborne district on the following day during the passage of a very active cold front. Except for the persistence of showers in the Gisborne district the weather cleared on the 8th with the approach of an anticyclone from the west.

Ahead of a deep depression advancing eastwards across the North Tasman Sea north-easterlies began to increase in the far north on the 12th, later reaching gale force in exposed parts of the Auckland Province. Rain spread slowly southwards as far as Nelson and Marlborough. Meanwhile, an anticyclone had extended on to the South Island behind a cold front. After passing North Cape on the morning of the 14th the storm centre turned south-eastwards. A change to strong southerly winds was followed by a marked fall in temperatures. With decreasing winds on the 15th the weather began to clear over the North Island, although in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne areas the clearance was delayed until the 17th.

Winds turned largely northerly when a ridge of high pressure began to move off to the cast on the 15th. Hail and thunder showers then developed during the passage of a large disturbance, the main centre of which crossed Otago on the 19th. Showers gradually became less frequent, but the weather did not clear generally until the arrival of an anticyclone on the 22nd. Two depressions passed in the far south on the 23rd and 24th.

On the 25th a depression which had formed to the east became stationary near the Chatham Islands and steadily deepened. Under its influence south-westerly winds increased over the South Island and cold showery conditions became general. By the 27th showers had almost ceased except in exposed coastal positions, but further showers developed with the passage of a secondary cold front on the 28th.

An anticyclone over the Tasman Sea moved to the north of New Zealand, while a series of westerly depressions passed in the south. The first of the series passed close to South Cape and on to the 30th ; the second was much deeper, but its track lay further to the south. Rain from this series was confined to western and southern parts of the country.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Officiating Ministers for 1949—Notice No. 1 Price Order No. 977 (Amendment No. 2 of Price Order No. 367 )

(Toys)

Registration, General's Office, Wellington, 21st February, 1949.

PURSUEANT to the provisions of the Marriage Act, 1908, the following names of officiating ministers within the meaning of the said Act are published for general information :—

The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand,
The Reverend William Cecil Charters, M.A., B.D.
The Reverend Kenneth Donald Mackenzie, LL.B., E.D.

Brethren

Mr. Charles Dear Baukham.
Mr. Arthur Sawyer.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Mr. William Barry.
Mr. Charles Milburn Clayton.
Mr. Ivan Stanley Cooper.
Mr. Nelson Goldsborough.
Mr. Henry Peredby Halliday.
Mr. Clifford David Keogh.
Mr. William Arthur Roberts.
Mr. Donald Alfred Saunders.
Mr. Eric Leslie Wilkins.

P. H. WYLDE, Deputy Registrar-General.

PURSUEANT to the Control of Prices Act, 1947, the Price Tribunal, acting with the authority of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, doth hereby make the following amending Price Order :—

1. This Order may be cited as Price Order No. 977, and shall be read together with and deemed part of Price Order No. 367* (herein- after referred to as the principal Order).

2. This Order shall come into force on the 28th day of February, 1949.

3. Clause 3 of the principal Order is hereby revoked, and the following clause substituted therefor :—

" 3 (1) Subject to the provisions of subclause (2) of this clause this Order applies with respect to all toys manufactured in New Zealand.

(2) Nothing in this Order shall apply with respect to toys manufactured in New Zealand by Lines Brothers (N.Z.) Limited."

Dated at Wellington, this 17th day of February, 1949.

The Seal of the Price Tribunal was affixed hereto in the presence of—

[L.S.]

W. J. HUNTER (Judge), President.
P. N. HOLLOWAY, Member.

• Gazette, 3rd May, 1946, Vol. II, page 471.