APRIL 20] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 475

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for March, 1950—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Dargaville (Feb., 1950) | 3 | 78·4 | 50·8 | 64·6 | (−0·8) | 86·0 | 27 | 35·0 | 22 | 0·26 | 4 | (+0·00) | 0·13 | 12 | 200·9 |
| Te Aroha (Dec., 1949).. | 46 | 71·8 | 51·4 | 61·6 | −2·3 | 87·0 | 30 | 39·0 | 20 | 3·27 | 12 | −0·14 | 1·07 | 23 | .. |
| Te Aroha (Jan., 1950).. | 46 | 80·7 | 55·5 | 68·1 | +1·1 | 88·0 | 3 | 43·5 | 16 | 0·66 | 6 | −3·15 | 0·40 | 28 | .. |
| Te Aroha (Feb., 1950) | 46 | 78·8 | 54·3 | 66·6 | −0·2 | 84·0 | 2 | 41·0 | 7 | 1·17 | 6 | −2·35 | 0·46 | 10 | .. |
| Golden Downs (Feb., 1950)| 900 | 69·7 | 44·9 | 57·3 | −1·8 | 81·0 | 27 | 30·0 | 6 | 1·41 | 5 | (−2·83) | 0·50 | 12 | .. |
| Akaroa (Jan., 1950) .. | 150 | 73·1 | 54·1 | 63·6 | (+1·3) | 86·3 | 7, 8| 46·0 | 18 | 2·35 | 9 | (−0·51) | 0·65 | 29 | 213·5 |
| Akaroa (Feb., 1950) .. | 150 | 71·4 | 51·6 | 61·5 | (−0·4) | 88·0 | 27 | 44·0 | 6, 20| 3·69 | 9 | (−0·14) | 1·48 | 17 | 181·8 |
| Adair (Jan., 1950) .. | 200 | 67·6 | 50·7 | 59·2 | .. | 82·0 | 7 | 45·0 | 14, 30| 1·95 | 8 | .. | 1·20 | 10 | .. |
| Adair (Feb., 1950) .. | 200 | 68·6 | 49·8 | 59·2 | .. | 83·1 | 27 | 40·4 | 18 | 3·02 | 12 | .. | 1·16 | 17 | .. |

NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal are in parentheses, the temperature record has been maintained for less than ten years, the rainfall record for less than twenty years, and the normals are partly interpolated.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MARCH, 1950

General.—March was dry and cool. The passage of several deep depressions far to the south gave much changeable weather in the southern part of the South Island where harvesting operations suffered some delays. In the North Island the weather was predominantly anticyclonic.

In the Auckland Province dry conditions over the past three months have caused a substantial drop in dairy production, while the supply of winter fodder will be very poor unless substantial rains occur in the next few weeks. Elsewhere the beneficial effects of good rains in February carried through March.

Rainfall.—With few exceptions rainfall was well below average. Over the greater part of the Auckland, Nelson, and Hawke’s Bay Provinces totals were less than one-quarter of the normal March rainfall; in many places the amount was negligible. In the Northland and Coromandel districts it was the fourth successive month of very low rainfall.

About Banks Peninsula and a section of North Canterbury there were a few places with rainfall above normal, while in the south the slight deficiency was of no consequence.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were below normal, but in most places by less than 1° F. Although thermometers rose above 85° F. on a few days in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury the affect was more than offset by the cold spell from 12th to 15th, during which the high country of both Islands received a good coating of snow.

Sunshine.—The duration of bright sunshine was above average in Nelson and Marlborough, and in the North Island with the exception of Taranaki and the Gisborne district. In parts of the Auckland Province the excess was equivalent to an hour a day. Elsewhere totals were below average, especially in the southern half of the South Island.

Weather Sequence.—For a start New Zealand lay between a vigorous tropical storm to the north-east and a deep depression to the south-west. The former kept well away to the east, but the cold front associated with the southern depression produced brief rain while crossing the South Island on the 2nd and a few showers later over the North Island. Fog covered most of the Canterbury Plains on the morning of the 2nd.

A wedge of high pressure then intensified considerably and soon developed into a large anticyclone which moved slowly eastwards to arrive over the Chatham Islands on the 5th. Although fine weather prevailed over the greater part of the country, on-shore winds in eastern districts of the Auckland and Coromandel Peninsulas and in Fjordland were accompanied by intermittent rain.

While a small depression was passing close to Southland on the 7th its cold front began to advance up the South Island. After giving moderate rainfall in the west and south the front temporarily weakened until it became stationary near Auckland when rain developed over the eastern and southern parts of the Auckland Province. An anticyclone over the South Island moved off to the east on the 9th.

Following the passage of a deep depression in the south on the 10th cold showery weather became general with the approach of a large anticyclone, orientated north-south, from the Tasman Sea. Snow fell on the high country of both Islands and sharp frosts occurred in sheltered places after a clearance on the night of the 12th.

Late on the 13th a vigorous depression on a southerly course travelled rapidly past the south-western tip of the country. In the next 36 hours two cold fronts moved north-eastwards across the Dominion, each producing brief but heavy rain in most districts.

Fine weather prevailed in the north under the influence of a ridge of high pressure over the North Tasman Sea. With two deep depressions passing near Campbell Island on the 15th and 16th respectively, and a shallow depression crossing Otago on the 17th, unsettled westerly weather continued elsewhere, showers being frequent and heavy in western and southern districts of the South Island. About this time winds around Foveaux Strait were seldom below gale force and on the 18th gales were fairly general south of Taranaki.

A short spell of fair and rather warmer weather commenced on the 20th and continued during the passage of an intense anticyclone. A weak trough moved northwards over the South Island on the 23rd and then became stationary while an anticyclone built up to the rear. Skies clouded over and drizzle fell intermittently, especially in costal districts.

An occlusion, accompanied by the usual rain-band, reached Southland early on the 26th and moved steadily on, to pass off to the north-east two days later. Travelling rapidly eastwards the following anticyclone was east of Canterbury on the 29th when skies became overcast over a wide area. Light drizzle fell at times in Canterbury and some light falls of rain were recorded in eastern parts of the Auckland Province and in Westland.

On the 30th a few brief showers affected Southland and Westland during the passage of a deep depression far to the south; elsewhere conditions improved with the arrival of another anticyclone from the west.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

(N.Z.M.O. 107.)

Officiating Ministers for 1950.—Notice No. 13

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 17th April, 1950.

PURSUANT 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 George Densem.
The Reverend Robert Leonard Small, M.A.

Baptists
Pastor Trevor Gibbs.
Pastor Jacques Ernest Hopkins.

P. H. WYLDE, Registrar-General.

Officiating Ministers for 1950.—Notice No. 14

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 17th April, 1950.

IT is hereby notified that the name of the undermentioned officiating minister has been removed from the list of Officiating Ministers under the Marriage Act, 1908, by request:—

Methodist Church of New Zealand
Mr. Kenneth Gordon Fowler.

P. H. WYLDE, Registrar-General.