25 JANUARY

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR DECEMBER 1961

General: For the third successive month barometers were unusually high over New Zealand; and December was warm and for the most part sunny and very dry. From Taranaki and Hawke's Bay to Canterbury the weather had been comparatively dry since the end of September, and in some areas there was little or no green feed. Elsewhere conditions were more variable, but still mainly too dry, except in Southland and Bay of Plenty. Sheep (especially lambs) were losing condition in some districts, and dairy production was also suffering.

Rainfall: Rainfall was mainly less than half the average value, except over the greater part of the Auckland Province and in Southland. In a number of areas it was below a quarter, especially north of Kaitaia, to the north and east of Kaipara Harbour, around the western side of Egmont, the Napier-Hastings area, the Marton area, around Christchurch, and in some inland districts of Nelson, Marlborough, and Canterbury.

The only areas appreciably wetter than normal were the greater part of Bay of Plenty north of Rotorua, eastern Coromandel, and just south of Hamilton. Around Whakatane it was particularly wet, with totals up to 12 in., of which more than half fell on the 3rd and 4th.

For the three months October-December rainfall was the lowest in more than 50 years of record for a number of stations in the southern half of the North Island and also in Marlborough and Canterbury. These stations included Marshlands (Blenheim) .95 in., Hastings 1•24 in., Christchurch 1•4 in., Palmerston North 2•7 in., Ashburton 2•7 in., Wellington 4 in., New Plymouth 6 in.

Temperatures: Temperatures were warmer than normal, mainly by 3-4 degrees. Departures exceeding 4 degrees were recorded on the central plateau of the North Island and in some inland districts of Canterbury and Otago.

Sunshine: Sunshine was mainly above average, by 30-90 hours. Western districts were particularly favoured, with departures exceeding 50 hours. Some of the highest totals were recorded at Foxton, Wellington, New Plymouth, and Wanganui. In the last three centres it was the sunniest December for at least 25 years.

Less sunshine than normal was recorded in eastern Northland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and parts of South Canterbury. The only station with a deficit of over 30 hours was Kerikeri.

Weather Sequence: The month opened with a well-defined trough off the north-east coast of the Auckland Province, causing some rain over most of the North Island and also in parts of the South Island. Considerable falls were recorded in the Rotorua-Taupo area. From the 2nd to the 7th a belt of high pressure extended from the Tasman Sea across New Zealand and far to the east, but pressure remained low to the north as a depression near New Caledonia moved slowly southward. For most of the country this was a period of fine, sunny weather. However, moist easterly winds brought showery weather to Northland and at times also to Gisborne and Bay of Plenty. In addition a weak trough brought some light rain to the southern half of the South Island on the 2nd and 3rd.

By the 8th the depression to the north was quite close to Northland and pressure was also falling in the south with the passage of a deep depression to the west of Campbell Island. Some rain extended over the whole of the North Island, with considerable falls in Bay of Plenty. On the following day there was still rain over the greater part of the North Island and it extended also to the West Coast. A weak ridge of high pressure brought mainly fair weather on the 10th.

For the next four days a trough of low pressure moved slowly north-eastward over the country, accompanied by a period of rain, mainly light. Another trough affected mainly eastern districts, on the 15th. From the 16th to the 19th an anticyclone passed slowly across New Zealand, with fine weather.

Pressures remained high, but a weak trough caused some light rain on the 20th and 21st in Southland and on the 22nd in South Canterbury. Another weak trough which passed over during the next three days brought rain at first to the West Coast and later some light falls to eastern districts and Bay of Plenty. From the 26th to the 28th an anticyclone covered the country, and the weather was fine, apart from a few isolated showers.

There was a deterioration during the last three days of the month as a shallow depression became almost stationary over the north-east Tasman Sea and a trough of low pressure moved slowly across New Zealand. There was rain on the West Coast and over most of the Auckland Province and also in parts of Southland, Nelson, and North Taranaki.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)

Notice Under the Regulations Act 1936

PURSUANT to the Regulations Act 1936, notice is hereby given of the making of regulations as under:

Authority for Enactment Short Title or Subject-matter Serial Date Price
Number of (Postage
Enactment Free)
Transport Act 1949 .. .. .. Traffic Regulations 1956, Amendment No. 6 .. 1962/1 24/1/62 6d.

Copies can be purchased from the Government Publications Bookshops—corner of Rutland and Lorne Streets (P.O. Box 5344), Auckland; corner of Lambton Quay and Bunny Street (Private Bag), Wellington; 112 Gloucester Street (P.O. Box 1721), Christchurch. Prices for quantities supplied on application. Copies may be ordered by quoting serial number.

R. E. OWEN, Government Printer.

Land in Wellington Land District Forfeited

PURSUANT to section 146 of the Land Act 1948, notice is hereby given that the Land Settlement Board, with the approval of the Minister of Lands, has by resolution declared the under-mentioned lease forfeited, and that the land is thereby reverted to the Crown.

Tenure No. Description Area Certificate of Title Lessee Date of
Volume Folio Forfeiture
Renewable lease V.H.R.L. 46 Section 57, Ohakune Village 5 acres 19A 77 Ellen Martha Perry, formerly of Ohakune, widow, 8 November
Block V, Karioi Survey as administratrix, but 1961
District now deceased.

Dated at Wellington this 17th day of January 1962.

(L. and S. H.O. 7237; D.O. V.H.R.L. 46)

Northland Catchment Area

PURSUANT to section 13 of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 (as enacted by section 5 of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Amendment Act 1959), the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council hereby assigns the name of the "Northland Catchment Area" to the catchment territory described in the Schedule hereto.

SCHEDULE

ALL that area in the Counties of Bay of Islands, Hobson, Hokianga, Otamatea, and Whangarei, the Town Districts of Hikurangi and Kamo, and the Boroughs of Dargaville and Whangarei, in the North Auckland Land District, bounded by a line commencing at a point on the sea coast on the western side of the North Island in the middle of the mouth of the Waipoua River, and running generally easterly and northeasterly up the middle of that river to and along the western boundaries of Blocks VIII and IV, Waipoua Survey District, and the northern boundary of the said Block IV,

to and along the middle of the public road fronting the eastern boundaries of Sections 18, 17, 15, 14, 12, 10, 9, 7, and 5, Block XVI, Waoku Survey District, to a point in line with the southern boundary of Section 25 of the said Block XVI; thence along a right line to and along that southern boundary, along right line from the south-eastern corner of the said Section 25 to the north-western corner of Section 4, Block XIII, Punakitere Survey District, along the northern boundary of the said Section 4, and along a right line from the north-eastern corner of that section, and passing through the south-eastern corner of Section 10 of the said Block XIII, to the middle of the Kaikohe - Donnelly's Crossing road; thence along the middle of that road to and along the middle of the public road forming the south-western boundaries of Sections 10, 3, and 9, Block XIV, Punakitere Survey District, and the eastern boundary of the said Section 3, to a point in line with the remaining part of the western boundary of part Section 2 of Block XIV aforesaid; thence along a right line to and along that boundary to the north-western corner of the said part Section 2, and along a right line between that north-western corner and the intersection of the right bank of the Huehue Stream