WILD LIFE IN NEW GUINEA

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 15

WILD LIFE IN NEW GUINEA

The prolific nature of New Guinea flora and fauna was emphasised by Mr. W. R. M'Gregor lecturer in zoology at the Auckland University College, in an address on Wednesday, states the "Naw Zealand Herald." Mr. M'Gregor said the forest growth 'of the country was abundant, and many valuable food trees were available to the native tribes. At the same time, the lecturer said he did not consider the ordinary bush growth sufficient to maintain a community, and it was notable that numerous plants not native to the country were being propagated. In dealing with the means of trapping wild animals employed by the natives, Mr. M'Gregor said many of the contrivances were highly ingenious. Pigs and cassowaries were especially prized by the natives.

English is displacing French as the first foreign language taught in many Prus■sian schools. *

SEPTEMBER'S WEATHER

DOMINION SUMMARY

September proved a most unsettled month, and hopes that the winter type or" weather had departed with August wero not fulfilled, remarks Mr. B. V. Pemborton, Acting-Director of Meteorological Services, in his summary of the weather for tli'e Dominion as a whole during September. Temperatures were decidedly cold, particularly during, the first half of the month, and once again they were lees than the normal throughout the greater part of the Dominion, In some districts, indeed, it was the coldest September experienced since records have bpeu kept. This was the caso in Wellington, whero the diffex'enco below normal was 3.3 degrees, while at Christehvirch it was as much as 4.1 degrees. A marked feature of the month was the predominance of southerly winds. Although usually they were only moderate in force, those on the sth, 6th, and on the 9th wore severe. One of the most serious effects of such southerly rainstorms at this time of the year is the inevitable mortality amongst lambs. In the Canterbury and Waikato districts the loss was fairly considerable, as it was also in some of the high country stations where snow accompanied the southcrlies. Vegetation was much slower in growth than is usual in this soason. Some pastures .which had beeu eaten down were showing little signs of filling up, but towards the latter part of the month, when there was a tendency for milder conditions, there was a distinct improvement in this respect. The cold, and insufficiojit growth of grass, were reflected in the deteriorated condition of stock, and consequently dairy herds should yield much below the average. Rainfall was above normal over the North Island, except in the ....rthern portion of tho Auckland Peninsula and on the west side of Mount Bgmont. Above averago totals were also experienced along most of the east coast of the South Island, but all the western half (Otago) and the high country had a deficiency, a few places in Westland having less than half the usual amount, while Arthur's Pass recorded only* 19 per cent, of its average. Of the low-pressuro systems ;the groater number were of cyclonic form, and when a westerly depression crossed the Dominion it was invariably followed by a secondary centre developing off the west coast. The changes in wind and weather wore consequently very rapid, and days when generally fine conditions provailed wero few and far between. Most of the anticyclones nioved in northern latitudes, but an irregular one crossed the Dominion between the 17th and 21st, and during this period fine sunny weather was general, although cool southerlies prevailed over the North Island. NUMEROUS DEPRESSIONS. The depressions were too numerous to describe in detail, but a few of the most intense may be mentioned. On the sth a vigorous cyclone which bad moved with unusual rapidity over tho North Tasman Sea was centred west of the Auckland Peninsula. It crossed the North Island during the night, and by the morning of the 6th was located off Bast Cape. On these two days very unpleasant conditions prevailed, and on the night of the sth a particularly violent southerly was experienced. Rain fell almost generally, and there was a heavy fall of snow on much of the central area of the North Island.1 It is considered that the fall in the Botorua and Taupo districts was the heaViest experienced in the past fourteen years. In some places the snow covered the ground to, a depth of 3 feet, and the Napior-Taupo road was comoletely blocked against traffic between Te Pohue and Rangitaiki. The east coast districts of the South Island also received snow at this time, but except in the hill country tho falls were alight. On the night of the sth au exceptionally severe thunderstorm ocuurred at Opotiki. The 7th was a fine day whila an anticyclone was passing to the north of New Zealand. Pressure, however, <ell again next day, and by night-time an intense westerly depression had advanced on to the Dominion with a rapidity almost equal to that of the cyclone which had recently preceded it. Tho. boisterous north-westerly wind associated with the front of this disturbance on the Bth caused a/considerable amount of damage in the Canterbury district, blowing dowii fences, trees, and telegraph wires. Heavy rain foil in districts with a westerly aspect, and during the night of the Bth a violent thunderstorm occurred at Beefton. Electric wires were fused and tho town ; was left in darkness, while windows were cracked, tho telephone system was put out of action, and several residents received minor shocks. By the morning of the 9th the depression had moved to the eait of the Dominion, but a slight secondary centre had developed west of Cape Maria van Diemen. The latter brought Borne heavy rain to the Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne districts, Marumoko recording as much as 497 points for the 24 hours up to 9 a.m. on the 10th. A tornado passed in the vicinity of the Stratford Mountain House during the night of the 9th, but its damaging effect was confined to a plantation of trees. On the night of the 10th the secondary centre crossed the Auckland Peninsula, and tbo wind, which on "the 9th had become southerly in and south of Cook Strait, blew strongly everywhere from that quarter, with extremely colrl temperatures. During the night of the 15th a cyclone developed off the Canterbury coast, and this district received a drenching south-westerly rain which continued until the afternoon of the following day. There was some minor flooding in the low-lying portions of the city, and the south-westerly gale was responsible for damage to 'early vegetable crops, but, on the other hand, the rain was beneficial to the farming community of Canterbury. Strong south-westerly winds prevailed generally on the 16th, but by the 17th they had decreased nearly everywhere in force. After the fine spell already referred to between the 17th and 21st, conditions changed for the worse again, and with the excoption of brief fine intervals on the 24th and _27th, the weather continued unsettled. in most districts until the close of the month. On the morning of the 26th Timaru experienced a heavy thunderstorm, accompanied by a torrential downpour of rain and hail, associated with tho rear of a sharp: westerly depression which bad crossed tho Dominion during the early morning.