OUR METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4863, 30 November 1883, Page 3

OUR METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENTS.

TO THB BDITOB OB THB " STAB." Sib,—lt has often ooourred to myself and others who follow pastoral and agrioultural pursuits, that the Meteorologioal Department of this Oolony is very far behind that of - other oivilised ct>unt-rie». We certainly ccc an imaginary weather map, or isobario ohart, in seme of the prinoipal morning papers, always twenty-four hours old, and for us, in the interior, it is forty-eight hours old ; So it is praotioally of so value. But exception ought to be made in referenoe to the Star, for it must be said that your weather prognostication is for the next day, and your paper, those adjoining the railway lines out of Ohrißtohuroh oan avail themselves of. We oertainly find a high percentage of your indications to turn ont correot. But what is urgently wanted by us, squatters and fftrrafW; is P9tß?tbjpg after the tt&nner they hare in America. Why should we be behind any nation? Beally we should be before, seeing that we have all the experience of the Australian weather departments to guid.e our meteorologists, ai, I believe, we get a second edition of their weather. We want every Telegraph office and Bailway station in this Province, aye, in the Colony, to havo posted up, not only the weather report of that morning, but the prospeots of the next day or two, and a rough estimate say for almost a week in advanoe. The squatter and small sheep farmer ask, shall I venture to shear my sheep to-morrow, as thia is very bleak showery weather, or shall I wait till next week ? He oan get no intimation of what next week may be like, whioh he oould via Australia. The agrioultural farmer asks similar questions in vain. Now in Amerioa the above plan ib adopted, and I hear that even the railway trains passing through the country carry oertain flags, whioh indioate to the farmer what weather he may expeot. Why oannot the same be done in New Zsaland ? Do I hear the answer - "expense?" I am sure all tbe necessary apparatus could be purohaied for not half what a Parliamentary spree would cost. The Meteorologioal Department should have full acoess to the telegraph, in faot, be oonneoted with the latter department, as it is in some countries, the telegraph station-masters being the observers, likewise insuring thereby a oorreot report. For if the officer be not suited to that work he is transferred to a less important post. But I am afraid, Mr Editor, that we shall have to wait in patienoe till we get a more common-sense and praotioal Parliament, for what has appeared in your paper of late re an Observatory for Ohristohuroh, in relation more espeoially to the wants of the Board of Health, shows one what Bmall ideas our Government possess in referenoe to the soientifio wants of an enlightened age. In one plaoe it was stated that the neoessary soientifio information wanted by the Board could be obtained for the modest sum of £25 per annum. I would be afraid to state the amount of most valuable information that oould be oolleoted for the benefit of the medical profession, if snoh an exorbitant sum were paid out of the Treasury. Are the taxpayer!) aware of such proposed ruinous expenditure ? Why, lit would almoat pay the little office boy. In conclusion, I trust that you will give the whole I matter publioity and support, and so endeavour to try and raise our Oolony into the ranks of civilisation that are gauged by their soientifio institutions, and not £ s. d. alone. — I am, &3., BHBBPFABMBB.