3

H.—lo.

of the values for two years excepting the months of August and September, 1877, when I was reluctantly compelled to seek medical advice. These two returns are very instructive, and enable a reliable opinion to be formed as to the usefulness of the work. Eeturn No. 4 shows the distribution of a storm warning issued in February last, showing an easterly gale in the southern part of the colony; the low area which caused this gale passed to the southward of the Bluff, on a route of about north-east by north, which, in fact, has been the most prevalent one since December, 1878. Eeturn No. 5 shows the warnings issued in advance of an easterly gale experienced in June last; the approach of this gale was only absolutely determined late on the evening ofthe 25tb, and I was unable to get warnings sent to Hokianga and Eussell before the gale had begun. The warnings were repeated to the Middle island stations the next day, aud much heavy weather was experienced on the eastern coast; but these second warnings have not been included in this return. The low area which caused this gale came from about north-west; and, from reports in the newspapers, &c, there seems but little doubt that it also visited Brisbane and Sydney, as it had been blowing hard from the eastward at the latter place two days before the gale commenced in this colony, and at Brisbane the barometer read 2925 on the 24th June, with a gale from the south-east. These areas do not often visit us, but they can be distinctly traced. The remaining returns illustrate the maimer in which the information is supplied to the central office. Similar matter has been published with previous reports. These returns have been selected for geographical position, thus enabling a better idea to be formed of the work and its results. The results of the warnings are in all cases decided by the officers who receive them. This plan has been in use during the last five years, and has always been found to work well; and there can be no doubt that the verdict of those at the place must be more reliable than any data compiled in a central office. I have made no returns of tho results for Wellington, as I should have to make them out myself, and they might therefore be considered too favourable. The results for New Plymouth may be considered the same as those for Opunake. The work of this office has on more than one occasion been favourably noticed by the press since the last report, and for the last nineteen months daily forecasts have been published in the Wellington evening papers. Erom the experience already gained I have no hesitation iv saying that a daily forecast could now be sent to such other evening papers as care to publish it. The Press Agency would no doubt undertake to forward it; but to insure the forecast being in time for daily publication at all other places, it will be absolutely necessary to have the report complete by 10 a.m. at the latest. To enable the morning papers throughout the colony to publish a weather forecast, a second complete daily weather report will be requirod at a later hour, as, under the present circumstances, so far as the morning papers are concerned, the interval between the completion of the forecast and its publication is so great that the information is of very little use. Much of the usefulness of a service of this kind depends upon the wire; and I have to acknowledge the cordial co-operation of Dr. Lemon aud the officers of the Telegraph Department. E. A. Edwin, The Hon. the Minister for Marine Department. Commander E.N.

No. 1. —RETURN showing Percentage of Correct Forecast at the undermentioned Places during the Twelve Months ending 30th June, 1879.

IMace. Direction of Wind. Force of Wind. Barometer Sea J?thm_t Movement. Movement. Warning Remarks. 7. 88-23 80-89 7968 8209 91-82 9605 72-42 98-43 8793 7 / O 27-38 1685 4677 43-28 77-58 34-21 8611 51-56 6163 °/ / o 71-26 67-81 87-50 7301 81-13 7600 55-12 7187 78-48 7o 7 659 Hokianga ... Russell Whangarei Coromandel Tokatea (altitude, 1,200 feet)... Manukau (altitude, 800 feet) Auckland ... ... .., Grahamstown Cambridge (altitude, 200 feet) Tauranga ... Opotiki Taupo (altitude, 1,200 feet) ... Gisborne ... Opunake (altitude, 100 feet)... Napier Wanganui Castlepoint Nelson Tophouse (altitude, 2,300 feet) Blenheim ... Westport ... Kaikoura ... Kekerangu Hokitika ... Bealey (altitude, 2,180 feet) ... Lyttelton ... Timaru 43-51 015 Tho warnings are limited to an area of 12 points of the compass. Force — 7 of Beaufort scale is the lowest for which warnings are considered as being verified. 84-61 3-33 4-47 See Report. 87-62 43-87 76-34 G8;42 1-02 75-76 85-43 61-54 1-09 0-90 2-22 3-77 952 114 See Report. 87-78 91-81 93-18 96 07 94-73 95-35 87-72 92-85 6631 68-21 93-61 92-59 91-02 92-66 73-81 7967 82-60 82-40 93-58 9100 93-33 47-19 40-00 44-31 48-03 47-74 11-62 8811 25-51 30-85 34 88 86-11 2685 71-79 29-35 1097 34-96 579 57-79 47-36 39-00 32-22 69-44 6636 73-49 73-00 87-96 83-33 76-76 7916 7065 7190 91-17 83-49 78-28 7196 69-51 74-59 78-40 80-18 85-39 94-89 79-54 78-68 6309 7600 8333 8524 100 104 0-90 3574 5556 47-61 1-80 Oamaru ... Naseby (altitude, 2,000 feet)... Port Chalmers Queenstown (altitude, 1,100 feet) Roxburgh (altitude, 300 feet) Balclutha... Bluff See Report. Mean average for twelve months ... 7196 1-25 87-36 4363 76-67