REPORT ON OCEANOGRAPHY 77 



matters. In the field of physical oceanography, the committee through 

 its physical sub-committee, arranged for preparation of a bathymetric 

 map of New Zealand seas, for the collection of continuous echo sound- 

 ing profiles by naval vessels in New Zealand seas, particularly on vo- 

 yages between New Zealand, Australia, and the outlying islands, and 

 for "collector tracings" of all surveys to be available for scientific use. 

 Visiting expeditions (R.R.S. Discovery II, H.M.S. Challenger, H.D.M.S. 

 Galathea) co-operated by supplying the committee with physical data 

 of local interest (soundings, temperatures, bottom samples, etc.). Also 

 molluscan material was allocated to two local specialists for study and 

 report. In general, the committee has effected liaison between New 

 Zealand workers in oceanography by assembling news-sheets, library 

 lists, and lists of vessels and equipment available for research work. 



II. Physical (C. A. Fleming) 



Hydrographic Surveys by H.M.N.Z.S. Lack Ian 



Since her arrival in 1949, H.M.N.Z.S. Lachlan has been engaged on 

 hydrographic re-survey of New Zealand coasts. New charts have been 

 prepared of Foveaux Strait, Cook Strait, Wellington, Bluff, Lyttelton, 

 and Otago Harbours, Peterson Inlet, and the east coast between Banks 

 Peninsula and Wellington. Echo sounding surveys have clearly de- 

 lineated the position of the continental shelf-edge and have de- 

 monstrated the presence of submarine canyons in Cook Strait and off 

 the east coast of the South Island near Otago Peninsula, Banks Penin- 

 sula, and the Marborough Coast. In 1950, Lieutenant Commander B. 

 M. Bary, M.Sc, Ph.D., N.Z. Defence Scientific Corps, joined H.M.N.Z.S. 

 Lachlan as biologist, and the ship was equipped with a laboratory and 

 oceanographic gear. Mr. T. M. Skerman, M.Sc, Oceanographic Ob- 

 servatory, D.S.I.R., joined the ship when Lt. Commander Bary left to 

 further his studies at the National Institute of Oceanography. 



In the course of hydrographic surveys, H.M.N.Z.S. Lachlan under- 

 takes routine observations of sea surface temperatures, obtains salinity 

 samples, bathythermograph records, bottom samples (using a Worzel 

 sampler supplied by Geological Survey) and plankton hauls. The re- 

 sulting collections and data are distributed to New Zealand oceanogra- 

 phers by the "Lachlan" sub-committee of the Oceanographic Commit- 

 tee. 

 Oceanographic Observatory, D.S.I.R. 



The Oceanographic Observatory, Wellington, was formed in 1949 

 and is now organized as a unit of the Geophysics Division of the De- 

 partment of Scientific and Industrial Research for the study of hydro- 

 logical conditions in the seas around New Zealand. The present staff 



