METEOROLOGICAL WORK IN AUSTRALIA. 259 



A third conference was held at Melbourne in September, 1888, 

 at which all the colonies were represented: — Mr. Ellery, Victoria; 

 Mr. l\ussell. New South Wales: Sir James Hector, K.C.M.G., 

 New Zealand; Mr. C. L. Wragge, Queensland; Sir John Forrest, 

 K.C.M.G., Western Australia; Captain Shortt, Tasmania: Mr. 

 Toild, South Australia. 



A number of important subjects were discussed at this Con- 

 ference, whicli I need not here particularly specify. 



Amongst other things it whs agreed — Mr. Wragge dissenting — 

 that each head office should restrict its forecast, as a rule, to its 

 own colony, and that the colonies should exchange their forecasts 

 by telegraph, so thai they might be published in a comjDlete form 

 in the daily papers. 



The object of the Conference in arriving at this decision was to 

 secure the publication of the local forecasts at the earliest possible 

 hour; and, further, to avoid tlie issue of conflicting forecasts, which 

 it was thought would confuse the public, and create a want of 

 confidence in the system. 



I may say here that, in Adelaide, Ave publish our forecasts for 

 South Australia shortly after 1 p.m., in time for insertion in the 

 afternoon papers, frequently including the forecasts for Victoria 

 and New South Wales, supplied by ]Mr. Ellery and Mr. Russell. 

 The forecasts, which apply to the twenty-four hours ending at 6 

 p.m. on the following day, and a short description of the Aveather 

 generally, are posted in the hall of the General Post Office, at Port 

 Adelaide, Largs Bay, and several other ports and towns in the 

 colony. 



As the outcome of these conferences Ave noA\' have a daily (Sun- 

 days excepted) interchange of Aveather telegrams between all the 

 Australian Colonies, including Tasmania and New Zealand. 



In all there are about eighty selected reporting stations, besides 

 AA'hich nearh' every telegraph station reports at 9h. a.m. to the head 

 office the direction of the Avind, the state of the weather, and the 

 rainfall, which are also posted in a collective form at the General 

 Post Office for jjublic information. 



From these data isobar and weather charts are compiled in 

 nearly all the colonies, together Avith the forecasts to whicli I haA-e 

 referred. 



At Adelaide, Avhere, as I have already said, Ave have issued daily 

 isobar niHps since 1882, we exhibit a diagram shoAving the baro- 

 metric ciu-ve at selected stations along the south coastline from 

 Albany to Cape HoAve during the month, Avhich enables persons to 

 see at a glance the Avesterly progressiA-e march of coastal depres- 

 sions ; and Ave haA'e recently added a map Avhich shoAvs the 

 distribution of rain in the colony on each Avet day. 



We also publish monthly a statement of the rainfall at every 

 station throughout the colony, compared AA'ith the average of the 

 corresponding month deduced from previous years, accompanied 



