2706
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 95

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR OCTOBER 1971

General—October was marked by an unusually high frequency of north-westerly winds. It was a wet month, and in parts of the North Island, especially eastern districts, it was too wet for the farmers. Conditions were better in the South Island, with good growth.

Violent north-westerly gales buffeted parts of Otago on the 27th, with a gust to 98 mph at Dunedin Airport.

Rainfall—Rainfall was above normal over nearly the whole of the North Island and over the South Island except for Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury Plains north of Timaru, and parts of Otago and Southland. Marlborough, Central and Southern Hawke’s Bay with parts of Wairarapa, and parts of the South Island high country received two to four times the normal value. The period from the 18th to the 24th was particularly wet over the North Island during the passage of three deep depressions. The second of these brought falls of up to 200 mm to Wairarapa and Marlborough on the 20th; and the third brought falls of up to 300 mm to Central Hawke’s Bay on the 23rd, with serious flooding.

Temperatures—Temperatures were mainly close to normal. However, in some eastern districts from Timaru to Napier and in parts of Wellington and Manawatu they were ½°C above normal; while in the Canterbury high country and parts of Buller and Nelson they were the same amount below normal.

Sunshine—Sunshine was close to normal except in Wairarapa and the Thames - Bay of Plenty area, where it was up to 30 hours below normal.

Weather Sequence—For the first 2 days of October an anticyclone was centred over and later to the east of the North Island, while depressions passed to the south-west. In the north-westerlies rain was reported west of the ranges in both islands. The pressure distribution remained similar on the following day, with a particularly deep depression passing to the south-west and the associated trough of low pressure, crossing the country. Rain now extended also east of the ranges. Many thunderstorms were reported. During the 4th and 5th a depression crossed Otago and Southland with further associated troughs affecting the remainder of the country. As the depression moved northward easterlies affected the area south of Christchurch with rain in the east; elsewhere most of the rain still fell west of the ranges. However, a southerly change set in with rising pressures and on the 6th the weather cleared over the southern half of the South Island. During the next 2 days southerlies persisted over the North Island as a depression formed on a trough east of Auckland and moved southward. The weather remained unsettled over the North Island, with rain also extending to a considerable part of the South Island on the 8th.

Westerly conditions set in again on the 9th and 10th as a deep depression passed to the south, while another trough crossed New Zealand. Rain was reported again mainly west of the ranges and also in Southland. There were some considerable falls in Bay of Plenty. Conditions remained very similar on the 11th. However, on the 12th a south-westerly change occurred, with some rain in most districts. From the 13th to the 16th an anticyclone was moving across the North Island while pressures were low to the south-west. Considerable rain was reported at times on the West Coast and in the Alps, but elsewhere the weather was mainly settled.

The period from the 17th to the 26th was particularly unsettled over the North Island with considerable cyclonic activity there. On the 17th a trough associated with a depression to the south crossed the South Island and moved on to the North Island. Rain still affected most of the West Coast, Nelson, and the North Island mainly west of the ranges. On the following day, as a depression formed on the front and crossed the North Island, the rain became concentrated there. As another depression formed over the north Tasman Sea on the 19th rain persisted in the north. On the following day, as this depression moved down the west coast of the North Island, rain spread over most of the country, with some considerable falls in Wairarapa and Marlborough. Conditions remained somewhat similar but with lighter rain as the depression moved through Cook Strait on the 21st, and a third depression developed over the north Tasman Sea. This depression crossed the North Island rather slowly on the 22nd and 23rd with further rain. Heavy falls were reported in Central Hawke’s Bay with flooding. Light rain persisted in the east of the North Island as the depression moved away to the Chatham Islands on the 24th. On the following day a shallow depression crossed Northland with some rain there, while a cold front affected most of the South Island. This cold front continued its progress on the 26th, with rain confined mainly to eastern districts.

Westerly conditions set in once again on the 27th and 28th as a very deep depression passed close to Macquarie Island, while the associated trough of low pressure brought rain to most districts, except near the east coast. Particularly violent north-westerly gales buffeted Otago. A depression formed on the trough near Northland and during the last 3 days scattered rain was still reported as pressures rose slowly with the advance of an anticyclone over the Tasman Sea.

J. F. GABITES, 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, 17 NOVEMBER 1971

Liabilities
$
Notes in circulation .. .. .. .. 208,696,056
Demand deposits—
(a) State .. .. .. $ 54,378,981
(b) Banks .. .. .. 31,541,190
(c) Marketing accounts .. .. 2,594,777
(d) Other .. .. .. 20,618,827
———————— 109,133,775
Time deposits .. .. .. .. .. ..
Liabilities in currencies other than New Zealand currency—
$
(a) Demand .. .. .. 787,458
(b) Time .. .. .. 2,750,055
———————— 3,537,513
Allocation of special drawing rights by I.M.F. .. 42,848,214
Other liabilities (including accumulated profits) .. 6,535,292
Capital accounts—
$
(a) General Reserve Fund .. 3,000,000
(b) Other reserves .. .. 19,826,907
———————— 22,826,907
———————— $393,577,757

Assets
$
Gold .. .. .. .. .. 704,807
Overseas assets—
$
(a) Current accounts and short-term bills .. .. .. 108,304,243
(b) Investments .. .. .. 82,221,006
(c) Holdings of special drawing rights 24,569,151
———————— 215,094,400
New Zealand coin .. .. .. .. 4,057,103
Discounts .. .. .. .. ..
Advances—
(a) To the State .. .. .. 64,858
(b) To marketing accounts .. 95,523,519
(c) Export credits .. .. 9,585,675
(d) Other advances .. ..
———————— 105,174,052
Investments in New Zealand—
(a) N.Z. Government securities .. 56,021,403
(b) Other .. .. .. 438,750
———————— 56,460,153
Other assets .. .. .. .. .. 12,087,242
———————— $393,577,757

24 November 1971.

H. T. NINNES, Deputy Chief Accountant.