THE WEATHER SETS SMILING EXAMPLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19267, 2 January 1931, Page 16

THE WEATHER SETS SMILING EXAMPLE.

AT ITS BEST TO FACE EVENTS OF NEW YEAR. Depressions, meteorological and otherwise, have been well in the background during the holiday season over the greater part of the Dominion and in Canterbury in particular. In the province the run of weather from Christmas to the New Year has not been bettered, and hardly equalled, over the last decade. Consistently high temperatures have been the rule, the pride of the week being the record-breaking 89.9 degrees on Saturday last. Eloquent of the cheerful daj r s when slumps seemed far away are the figures recorded at the Christchurch Ob-

day and Sunday, days when father, mother and the children were free to wander where fancy took them, were appropriately enough glorious. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when those who had to become for a short space unwilling world’s workers, the weather cooled down slightly, although warm enough for law and insurance clerks and other persons of leisure to enjoy themselves outdoors. New Year's Day again saw an ideal day when a single glance at the sky and the feel of the caressing sun was enough to make even the most hardened sinner utter some good resolutions for the coming twelve months. The weather for the current year should be of the very best and fit to overcome any depression if it continues on the lines laid down at other centres yesterday. Some of the adjectives descriptive of the first day of the year elsewhere are as follows: Auckland, hot and humid; Wellington, glorious; Stratford, fine; Masterton, ideal; Hastings, glorious; Greymouth, fine and warm; Dunedin, brilliant. Last year New Year’s weather was most inhospitable, as the following extract from the “Times” shows:—“For the second New Year’s Day in succession rain fell in Christchurch catching thousands of holiday-makers unawares and hundreds of people received a ducking.” Christmas Day in 1929 was far from pleasant, the morning being threatening and the temperature low, while on New’ Year’s Day rain was general in Canterbury. Croquet players, however, proved themselves the heroes of the occasion, those hardy individuals braving the rain and holding competitions until late in the evening. Christmas Day in 1928 was another unfortunate performance from the holidaymakers’ point of view’. Dawning warm and sultry, in the afternoon rain fell and ruined what promised to be a successful holiday. The nature of the weather offering for Christmas Day over the last decade is shown by the following summary:— 1921—Violent thunder and rain storm which did a good deal of damage and caused some consternation. 1923 Violent thunder and rain storm following a nor’-wester. Hail and rain followed a sudden change from hot to cold weather. 1924 Rain set in during the early afternoon and continued for the rest of the day. 1925 Dull and cold with rain during the afternoon. 1926 Cold and dismal with heavy rain all day. 1927 Dull, but fine. 1928 Light rain during the afternoon. 1929 Threatening and cool, j 1930 —Fine and warm.

servatorj 7- as follows:— Degrees. *?Q Dprpmhpr *-50 Dprpmhpr 62.6 Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Satur-