WEATHER REPORTING

Grey River Argus, 30 November 1937, Page 5

WEATHER REPORTING

FOR NEW AIR SERVICES Meteorologists Meet in N.Z. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 29. A meteorological conference of international significance was opened, this morning, oy Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Lhe inauguration of the Pan American airways flying boat service between San Francisco and Auckland, and the proposed trans-Tasman air services, to be preceded by a survey flight very soon, have necessitated the complete recasting of meteorological services of the south-west Pacific, and some months ago, Dr. Kidson, Director of the New Zealand Meteorological Office, was authorised oy the Government to invite representatives of the Pacific Weather ! Bureau and aviation interests, to meet at Wellington to discuss the new problems and new needs. The delegates present, represent Britain, America, Australia, and Suva. In extending a welcome, Mr. Sullivan spoke of the importance of the discussions in formulating a joint plan for the building of an adequate meteorological service over the Pacific area, to meet the widening needs brought about mainly by aviation developments. The inauguration which was now imminent of air lines across the Pacific and Tasman Sea, involving a flight for many hours out of sight of land, and far from reporting stations, had given the rise to insistent demands for data far exceeding in scope and detail anything previously contemplated. It was the emergence of these demands which made urgent the necessity of calling a conference of those responsible for the meteorological service in the South-West Pacific region. Gn the success of the deliberations the regularity, comfort, speed and safety of the trans-ocean air transport in this region would largely depend. me outstanding feature of the work in which the meteorologists were _ engaged was that it was international in cnaracter. In fact, the work could not be organised and carried out by full international co-operation, and meteorology was thus one means by which were brought closer together the men who were doing the job and the peoples of the countries. New Zealand was a small country, with a small population, but from the beginning of colonial days, it had had weather reports and meteorological service, but probably during the past two years, with the extraordinary development of internal aviation, and t..e coming air connection with Great Britain via Australia, and the contemplated service from America, the development of meteorological services in the Dominion had been more intense than in the whole of tne preceding years. Doctor E. Marsden, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, recalled his earlier work in the study of meteorology, and said that what. had been particularly impressed upon him was Hie need, not merely for tne collection, codification and dissemination of data, but for the research into the data gathered, to the end of increased use find accuracy, and the greater value of observations made in future. Co-operation in the work of investigating meteorological conditions led to understanding between the observers of the whole region, and to quicker application of any lessons learned, reducing the lag. between discovery and the application from perhaps years to months.