WEATHER FORECASTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23702, 9 January 1939, Page 11

WEATHER FORECASTS

METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS BIG IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED TRANS-TASMAN SERVICE (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Jan. 8. A big improvement in the New Zealand weather forecasting system is expected to follow plans which have heen prepared by the Australian and Dominion authorities for meteorological observations on vessels crossing the Tasman Sea. This was stated by Dr E. Marsden, the secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Two of the trans-tasman steamers will be fully equipped with meteorological recorders, as a weather aid to flying boats engaged in the flight across the Tasman, and the data so collected will be collated with other available details, and so will supplement the existing forecasting service here. These developments are part of the policy adopted by the New Zealand and Commonwealth Governments to give full aid to all aircraft. Observing stations will be located on board the Wanganella and Awatea, which are regularly engaged on the Tasman crossing, to make weather observations along the flying routes between Australia and New Zealand. These observations will supply such a vast additional field of information for local requirements that, according to Dr Marsden, a considerable further improvement in the Dominion forecasting service can be expected. In addition to these floating observatories, other land forecasting and observing centres will be established in New Zealand and Australia at shore points, to co-operate with the sea stations in providing adequate information for the flying boats. Sea-going Equipment The New Zealand Government itself has provided the equipment for the Awatea and the Wanganella, in co-operation with the Commonwealth Government, Dr Marsden said. The Commonwealth was providing an additional service by arranging for a pilot to accompany one of the vessels as a balloon observer. He would release meteorological balloons from the steamer and keep in touch with other observational officials working in conjunction, as part of the general scheme.

Dr Marsden said that Dr M. A. S. Barnett had just returned from Australia, where he had attended a conference at which the details of the new scheme were discussed. As chief of the aviation section of the Meteorological Office it had been Dr Barnett’s task to complete the_ necessary arrangements. The equipment on board the two trans-Tasman vessels would be far superior to that which had been utilised for Tasman observations in the past. From this alone it was expected that observations would enable a greatly improved general observational _ and forecasting service for the Dominion itself. Australian Developments In Australia, it is proposed to establish stations which will forecast and advise for inter-capital and inter-State aviation services, as well as for the Empire flying boats, Aus-tralian-New Guinea, AustralianNew Zealand and Royal Dutch Airways Services. “All these steps will mean a tremendous improvement in the general forecasting service,” Dr Marsden said. _ “ What has been done, in anticipation of these new requirements has already improved our forecasting in New Zealand, and what has yet to be done will bring about a further considerable improvement. lam confident of that.” Dr Marsden outlined the basis of a new departure to be introduced at Auckland. He said that it was proposed to establish an all-day forecasting and observation service there, so that when the Tasman air service started continual contact could be kept with the flying boats as they travelled between Australia and New Zealand. Already Dr Marsden said, the necessary staff had been assembled at Auckland, and while flying operations had not yet started, the staff had been able to indulge in a great deal of work by way of practice, as a preliminary to the actual work which would be involved when the flying boats were working across the Tesman Sea. Staff Praised Dr Marsden stated that the increased calls on his department had involved a great expansion of staff in the meteorological branch. He paid a high tribute to the existing staff. “I feel that I can say, without being accused of bombast, that we have built up in New Zealand an excellent staff for this important work,” he said. “In fact, the staff has been set up in anticipation of these new demands on its services, and we can rightly claim to have deliberately anticipated what was ahead of us. Knowing what we would be called on to do, we have kept ahead of developments.”