AT THE KERMADECS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6678, 28 November 1908, Page 15

AT THE KERMADECS

THE WORK OF THE SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION. MR C. E. WARDEN INTERVIEWED. (Special to the "N.Z. Times.") CHRISTCHURCH, November 27. M. C. E. Warden, one of the enthusiasts who has just completed ten months of scientific work on Sunday Island, the largest of the Kermadec Group, interviewed to-day, outlined that portion of the ecientfic work with which he had been connected. The Government, he said, had very kindly lent a very complete* ©et ot meteorological instruments, and the party's choice of a site for their aamp was governed chiefly by the suitability of tnc spot, as a meteorological station. The standard barometer was set at a height 01 only five feet above sea level, so that tho reading© would require corrections only for index error, temperature, and gravity. The barograph gave a continuous record which would serve to show the cyclonic disturbances. These came from the north to New Zealand, and were of particular interest, a© the equator might be regarded a© a boiler, the steam from which affected New Zealand. Tho party had been equipped with standard thermomotors, ana* the continuous readings carefully taken every day, will prove a definite' record for the isotherms on climatological charts of that part of the Pacific surrounding the Kermadecs. Tiiose island© were eo little disturbed by land influences that the records taken lucre would have especial value, the more so as no previous observations had been made in the locality. Careful records of sunshine and cloudiness were taken, and would prove of use to any astronomical parties that might need to visit tho islands for the purpose of observing eclipses or occupations. • The horizontal movement of the wind and the rainfall were noted daily, and the recording rain gauge lent by the Government gave charts showing when and how the rain actually fell. Storms were several times passing over the ocean between New Zealand and the Kermadecs. Sometimes the only influence of those storms that the islanders felt were tho heavy breakers which roared against the shore. Their force, Mr Warden remarked. might be judged from the fact that they often shook the whares until it seemed a© if an earthquake was passing. Tho waves had great effect upon the bdaches of the island, and frequently a broad sandy beach would change during the course of a storm ‘to a steep boulder one, and again tho in- : coming of the sand would drive certain molluscs up from their natural homes, "You may be sure that our ccnchological expert was not slow to take advantage or these accident©,” was tho investigator's comment. The working of the detail© of the meteorological observations still remains to be done, and the records of barometric movements, wind velocities, and such things need correction with those made at Auckland, Wellington, and other placcvs before their value can be fully realised. It is intended to offer the meteorological results of the expedition to the Government, and it will be neoossary for Mr Warden to go to Wellington in order to work up the whole subject in relation to the meteorological conditions of New Zealand.