WEATHER FORECASTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 12

WEATHER FORECASTS.

CONDITIONS IN TASMAN. VALUE TO NAVIGATION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) . WELLINGTON, Thursday. Although he is visiting New Zealand on holiday, Professor T. H. Laby, F.R.S., who arrived by the Monowai to-day from Melbourne, intends 'to occupy part of his time with an inquiry into meteorological research in the Dominion. Professor Laby, who occupies the chair of physics at the University of Melbourne, is accompanied by his two daughters, and they will spend a fortnight in New Zealand. Professor Laby said he hoped to get in touch with the Government meteorologist, Dr. Kidson, Professor Jack and Professor Burbidge with regard to the question of testing the feasibility of weather forecasts over the Tasman Sea being based on wireless - observations. One of Professor Burbidge's students in Auckland, he said, had been working on the general problem in co-operation with the Radio Research Board of Australia. The question at issue was whether recording instruments could be kept at Auckland and Dunedin in order to get material for weather forecasting over the Tasman. The instruments would keep a continuous record of electric and atmospheric disturbances of the sort that caused static on wireless, as these were associated with cyclonic disturbances. The scheme was only in its initial stage and had not been tested out properly, but its development would probably be of great value in nautical and particularly in aerial navigation between Australia and New Zealand.