METEOROLOGICAL STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 918, 3 July 1869, Page 9

METEOROLOGICAL STATISTICS.

Meteorological Report, 1868 ; together with Abstract of all Meteorological Returns for New Zealand prior to that date. By Jambs Hbotob, M.D., F.R.S. Published by command.

This report has been recently issued from the Government Printing Press at Wellington. Dr Hector states, by way of introduction, that according to Dr Knight, tie Auditor-General, under whose control and supervision the construction and maintenance of the various observatories in the colony were formerly placed, the records, up to 1862, are of uncertain value, owing to various causes. From that date, however, up to June 1867, when the charge of the observatories was transferred to Dr Hector's department, more complete information was collected, and since then Dr Knight's endeavours to secure uniformity have been followed up with considerable buccess.

The following are the places at which observatories are established at the present time : — Mongonui, Auckland, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Ohristchuroh, Bealey, Hokitika, Dunedin, and Southland.

From the observations taken at the chief towns in both islands up to the end of 1807, it appears that in the North Island the mean annual temperature in the shade was highest at Auckland, vi&, 60.3 degrees, and that for Taranaki (56.8 degrees) next, while Wellington is the lowest (65.7 degrees). | In the Middle Island, Christchurch and Nelson show the highest annual mean temperature (65 1 degrees and 55 degroes respectively). Dunedin is very much lower, vis., 60*7 degrees. January and February, corresponding to July and August in England, are the two wannest months in Now Zealand ; and July and August, corresponding to January and February in England, the two coldest— excepting in Nelson and Wellington, at which places the moon readings are lowost for June and July. The climate of London is 7.2 degrees colder than that of the North Island, and 3*B degrees colder than the Middlo Island of New Zoaland ; *nd the difference between the mean Annual temperature of tht wkolt of Now Zealand tnd that oJf

.86.$ Jdegreeff, arid thejatter.so: degrees; ' ■i'-wTbie following are, ythe,*means f i for the, i-two warmest and two ' coldest- months in th&ye'arin'sixof the principal localities^ with ;their differences :—

From which we find that the average difference between, the mean temperature of the warmest and coldest months of the year >in New Zealand is 17 degrees ; at Borne it is 27 degrees ; at Montpellier 33 degrees ; at Milan 38 degrees j and at Jersey 22 degrees. The following tables shew the mean an-, nual< rainfall in the North and Middle Islands* -from the earliest observations to the end of 1867 :—

From the above it will be observed that Taranaki has the highest average annual rainfall 1 (55-584 inches), and Nelson is the next (54.721 inches), while the average means for Christchurch (31.636 inches) and Dunedin (32,886 inches) are the lowest ; but while Dunedin has a much smaller annual. folFof rain i than the others, yet there are a greater number of days of rain yearly at that place than at any of the other stations, and although the mean fall for Nelson is one of the highest averages, still? the mean number of days of rain in that locality is the least of all. Taking these six stations, the annual rainfall and number of days of rain is greater in the North than in the Middle Island.

The following is an abstract of the observations with regard to rain and wind at seven of the principal stations during the year 1868 :—

During the previous four years, the annual rainfall at Dunedin was 34.660 inches, tho average number of days on which rain fell being 185. In 1867, which was an unusually wot year, the corresponding figures wore 39.05 and 175 respectively. The mean reading of the barometer at Dunedin during the year 1868, was 29.89 inches, the extreme range being 1.393 inch. During the four years previous* the mean reading was 29.906. The extreme range during that period is not recorded.

The thermometrical observations at Dunedin during the same period, show the mean temperature in the shade to have been 50 degrees, the maximum teraperaturo in the sun's rays being 155 degrees. The extremo range of temperature during the year was 49 degrees, and the mean daily range 14.5 degrees. The only observations recorded for the previous four years are those of the mean, temperature in the shade, which ut stated to have been 51 degrees. Many other interesting facts are to be found in this report, which we recommend to the attention of tho meteorologists. We cannot conclude, however, without expressing our regret that more aoouriite observations wore not taken at an earlier period.

An auction baiMr of " numerous rad mis* oollnneous ftrtiolen " wm held at Nwoby oa Monday and Tuesday lad. The merriment, says the Chronicle, was occasionally eartrome. At one tima a pair of lady's gold •wrings was ofFarod for competition ; the noxt article being a liva pig in a saok, wfaoce snneaki gave abundant evidence of its vitality ; thii would be followod by torn* article of lady's nppard, to be suooetded, perhaps, by a bag of ooal, a dead sh^ep, a tandl* of wool* and so forth, Th» amount roftltod ««wiUd, w» twdftnttfid, LIW»

Mean No. of days on -which Inches rain fell annually. Auckland 44 682 177 TaranaM 58.'584 146 Wellington 50091... 146 Means for N. la. 51.119 155 MIDDLE ISLAND. .Nelson 54.721....*. 92 Christchurch ...31-636 113, Dunedin 32.586 178 Means for M. Is. 39. 747 127 „ both Ts. 45.433 141

NORTH ISLAUD.

Two Two •«.«. . warmest, coldest months, months. Auckland 69.6, .. 53.1 ... 16.5 Taranaki 64.7 ..49.3 ... 15.4 Wellington .64.6- ... 478 ... 16.8 Ne150n..... 63.6 ... 45.9 ... ,17.7 Christohurch 65.2 ... 443 .., 20.9 Dunedin 58.0 ... 43.2 ... 14.8

Bai IS. [SD. STAIION9. 2i •3.3 U 111 ASS ffi Tirana Id Wellington Kelson Ohriitchnreh HoMtika Danedln Southland 60-420 S5-522 79 370 80-041 120 210 83-803 40-34*; 161 184 91 128 214 160 169 2017 184 9 130-1 145-0 154-0 163 0 188-0 001, Jnly26. 740, Not 22. 310, S?cpt 2. On, Mar SO. 6»9, f^ct 16, fifli). Deo 1. 780, Jnne S.