The English Climate

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30036, 22 January 1963, Page 3

The English Climate

6ir.—With no relatives or friends in New Zealand, I arrived here in Christchurch 12 yean ago. after a night on the Hinemoa which was very rough. Some yachts were lost that had been in a race, I believe, that night But I have found it true that there are usually eight months of summer and four of winter. New Zealand’s magnet for me was its youth, as a settled country, quiet tempo, and gorgeous scenery. I wanted to test my ability to strike out alone. "Marriage was your adventure, this is mine.” I told my folks. Everything was different here. But one must have adaptability. I shall be going home again soon, leaving friends as dear as family, which is saying a lot. People gravitate to where they are happy. Mental and spiritual climates matter more than geographical ones.—Yours, etc.. HEATHER-FERN. January 21. 1963.

Sir, —My innocent reference to the British climate seems to have aroused the ire of exiles who apparently are fated to endure an unhappy existence on these shores instead fo basking in the sunshine of what would appear, from their remarks, to be almost a tropical paradi*. My apologies to the* sensitive souls, and in future

I shall not believe anything I read in the newspapers. In this connexion, I trust that the bona fides of the unhappy-tooking gentleman who* picture appeared on the leader page of Saturday's paper were carefully investigated to make certain that this was not just another piece of anti-Brkish propaganda. Another recent news item, which is obviously suspect, stated that statistics revealed an annual exodus of more than 100,000 from those salubrious shores. Of course, it might be that they just couldn't endure tbe beat— Yours, etc., FACE FACTS. January 21, 1963.

Sir,—lf your correspondent “Anglice" is exasperated by unqualified criticism of her native climate, let her compare annual average daily maximum temperatures, annual total rainfall figures, and total sunshine hours recorded in London and in

Christchurch. She will find little variation in rainfall and temperature figures, but will see that Christchurch gets many more hours of a warmer sunshine (we are nearer the equator) than London. What makes the difference? In Christchurch, almost invariably, no sun means no heat In London an overcast day can be unbearably hot and a winter sun will barely thaw the frost. In Christchurch, even

summer rain is cold, but in London, where the rainfall is much less pleasurably distributed, anything falling cold is snow or sleet from the north-east. In short, the climates are very different, but neither can honestly be described as “execrable” by anyone who has lived in both.—Yours, etc., ,P. C. HUGHES. January 23. 1963. (This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.”]

ILS. Visit. The Italian Premier (Mr Amfatare FanUana) left for Rome last ndght after a four-day visit to the United States during which he met with Preaideat Kennedy and the United Jfaticns Steerrtary-Gettaral (U Th**).—New York, January 20.