84

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 3

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR DECEMBER 1962

In the South Island December was sunny and dry; and by the end of the month pastures were reported to be drying up in some areas, though the weather was generally favourable for stock and crops.

In the North Island there was an unusually high frequency of winds from the north-east and east, with excessive rain in Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay. In Bay of Plenty conditions were too wet, adversely affecting lambs and vegetables and hindering haymaking. However, in Hawke's Bay the additional, rain was welcome and, as over the remainder of the North Island it was a good month for pasture growth.

Rainfall: Rainfall was only half the average value over the South Island, except on the Kaikoura coast. It was also somewhat below average in most western districts of the North Island.

Over the remainder of the North Island rainfall was above average. East of a line from Waihi to Taupo and Waipukurau it was mainly three to six times wetter than normal. Many places reported totals of 15 to 25 inches, most of which fell during two three-day spells of heavy rain - the 2nd to the 4th and the 18th to the 20th.

Tauranga (17·58 in.) and Rotorua (13·38 in.) both had their wettest Decembers on record, and the totals for the year at these two cities - over 80 in. at Tauranga and over 101 in. at Rotorua - were also far higher than any previously recorded.

Temperatures: Temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees above average in the South Island but close to average in the North Island. Eastern districts of the South Island experienced very warm temperatures from the 10th to the 14th. By contrast, Christmas Day in the south and Boxing Day further north were marred by the passage of a cold front with unseasonably cool temperatures. Snow fell on the ranges of both Islands and was reported down to 1,600 ft in Southland and Otago.

Sunshine: The South Island was favoured with from 20 to 90 hours more sunshine than average; and for coastal and some inland districts of Canterbury and Otago it was the sunniest December in about 40 years of record, with totals ranging from 255 hours at Timaru to 320 hours at Lake Tekapo.

Sunshine was also above average by from 20 to 60 hours in western districts of the North Island. However, it was below average by 15 to 50 hours in Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, and Bay of Plenty.

Weather Sequence: A trough which had been affecting New Zealand at the end of November still lay just to the east on 1 December, while an anticyclone covered the Tasman Sea. Southerly winds brought cool temperatures, with rain in easterly districts from Christchurch to East Cape. A depression formed in this trough over Northland and moved slowly southward. From the 2nd to the 5th there was considerable rain over the North Island, with some exceptionally heavy falls in Bay of Plenty on the 2nd. Showers still persisted on the east coast of the North Island and about Cook Strait as the depression moved away on the 6th.

During the period from 7th to the 12th the weather was predominantly settled under the influence of an anticyclone, which moved slowly from the south Tasman Sea across New Zealand to the east. However, the West Coast and the Alps received rain on the 10th with freshening northerlies during the passage of a depression close to Fiordland.

By contrast, the period from the 13th to the 21st was one of unsettled weather, except in eastern districts from Otago to Marlborough. During the first three days a trough of low pressure crossed the country accompanied by a belt of rain in most districts mainly light. By the 16th the trough lay off the north-east coast of the Auckland Province, with rain only in parts of Northland and Coromandel. However, the trough then moved back southward, with considerable rain over parts of the Auckland Province and North Taranaki, especially on the 18th and 19th. At the same time another trough affected the South Island.

There was a brief spell of fine weather from the 22nd to the 24th as an anticyclone moved across the country.

Christmas Day in the south and Boxing Day further north were marred by a cold front which swept over the country, accompanied by unusually cool temperatures and rain. Snow was reported as low as 2,000 ft in parts of the South Island; and southerly gales caused some damage in Cook Strait.

For the last five days of the year the weather was once again mainly settled. At first temperatures remained rather cool and showers still persisted in Gisborne and some other east coast districts as the trough moved away. However, from the 29th to the 31st weather was generally fine and warm.

R. G. SIMMERS, Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107.)

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, 16 JANUARY 1963

Liabilities
| | £ | s. | d. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. General Reserve Fund | | 1,500,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 3. Bank notes | | 85,416,509 | 10 | 0 |
| 4. Demand liabilities-- | | | | |
| (a) State-- | | | | |
| (i) Government marketing accounts | | 1,840,827 | 5 | 9 |
| (ii) Other | | 14,146,133 | 5 | 3 |
| (b) Banks | | 89,786,066 | 4 | 11 |
| (c) Other | | | | |
| (i) Marketing organisations | | 193,755 | 16 | 9 |
| (ii) Other demand liabilities | | 3,024,273 | 9 | 9 |
| 5. Time deposits | | | | |
| 6. Liabilities in currencies other than New Zealand currency | | 163,110 | 9 | 5 |
| 7. Other liabilities | | 8,805,040 | 19 | 6 |
| | | | | |
| | £204,875,717 | 1 | 4 |

Assets
| | £ | s. | d. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. Reserve-- | | | | |
| (a) Gold | | 243,603 | 12 | 4 |
| (b) Sterling exchange | | 32,029,116 | 5 | 3 |
| (c) Gold exchange | | | | |
| (d) Other exchange | | 482,712 | 5 | 8 |
| 9. Subsidiary coin | | 436,916 | 9 | 2 |
| 10. Discounts-- | | | | |
| (a) Commercial and agricultural bills | | | | |
| (b) Treasury and local body bills | | | | |
| 11. Advances-- | | | | |
| (a) To the State or State under-takings-- | | | | |
| (i) Government marketing accounts | | | | |
| (ii) For other purposes | | 45,087,087 | 18 | 3 |
| (b) To other public authorities | | | | |
| (c) Other-- | | | | |
| (i) Marketing organisations | | 33,920,283 | 1 | 10 |
| (ii) Other advances | | 3,860,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 12. Investments-- | | | | |
| (a) Sterling | | 16,441,612 | 14 | 10 |
| (b) Other | | 70,987,729 | 12 | 6 |
| 13. Bank buildings | | | | |
| 14. Other assets | | 1,386,655 | 1 | 6 |
| | | £204,875,717 | 1 | 4 |

R. M. SMITH, Chief Accountant.

Ministry of Works—Schedule of Civil Engineering and Building Contracts of £10,000 or More in Value
Name of Work | Successful Tenderer | Amount of Tender Accepted £ s. d. |
|---|---|---|
Civil Engineering-- | | |
Auckland-Hamilton Motorway—Takanini-Drury section: Construction of formation 15 m. 68·4 ch. to 16 m. 56·6 ch. | N.Z. Roadmakers Ltd. | 21,828 8 8 |
Hamilton City railway lowering—Construction of Anglesea Street overbridge and underground station | Waite-Tileman | 65,450 16 2 |
Building-- | | |
Erection of assembly hall, Rangitoto College | Wiles and Jones | 32,159 0 0 |
J. T. GILKISON, Commissioner of Works.