VARIED WEATHER IN MAY

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28298, 8 June 1957, Page 14

VARIED WEATHER IN MAY

Rainfall Above Normal In Most N.Z. Districts

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 7. May was generally a good month for North Island farmers with satisfactory pasture growth, says the Meteorological Service in its monthly report on weather conditions released today. However, in the South Island, conditions were too wet and adversely affected the condition of stock.

A depression which moved down the east coast of both islands from May 16 to May 20 caused unusually stormy weather. Exceptionally strong southerly gales blew through Cook Strait on May 17 and May 18, seriously affecting shipping and causing some minor damage on land.

Floods were reported in many parts of Canterbury and Otago. The most serious developed on the Taieri Plains on May 19. Small tornadoes caused local damage at Kaitaia on May 4 and at Lower Hutt on May 7. Rainfall was above normal except in Northland, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. In eastern districts from Christchurch south, totals were from two to four times the average value. For Invercargill, with 8.60 inches, it was the wettest May for more than 50 years.

Temperatures were slightly above normal. During a spell of cold south-westerlies on the last four days of the month, snow fell to low levels from Southland to Canterbury and also on the Central Plateau of the North Island.

Sunshine was below normal by more than 20 hours over most of the South Island and also in Taranaki. Elsewhere totals were close to the average value, but Gisborne was favoured with sunnier weather than usual. Agricultural Engineering Course An agricultural engineering class will be formed at the Christchurch Technical College as soon as a suitable lecturer can be obtained. This was reported to the college’s board of managers last night by the appointments and classes committee. Young farmers’ clubs had requested the course, for which there were 19 prospective students, the committee’s report said. A similar course had been suggested a year ago, but no students had applied, said the principal (Mr D. W. Lyall). Mr D. L. King, of Canterbury Agricultural College, who had 12 years’ experience of constructing agricultural machines, would probably be available to lecture.