118 AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



The annual average rainfall at the 4 principal stations in New Zealand for the 

 ten years ending December, 1892, was 



North Island: 



Auckland 38.881 



Wellington 48.296 



Middle Island: 



Lincoln 26.190 



Dunedin.. . 36.863 



Daily observations have been discontinued at Hokitika, on the west coast of the 

 Middle Island, since 1880; but for ten years, 1871 to 1880, inclusive, the annual rain- 

 fall there averaged 122.990 inches; the greatest rainfall for any one of those years 

 having been 154.446 inches and the smallest 96.170 inches. 



The greatest rainfall in any twenty-four hours during the year 1892 occurred at 

 Dunedin, 5.400 inches, on February 8. 



The observations that have been taken show that the northern part of New Zea- 

 land is within the influence of the subtropical winter rainfall, the probability of 

 rainfall in winter in that part of the colony being twice as large as in summer. 



In the south, however, the rainfall, though irregular, is distributed more equally 

 over the year. The chief difference to be observed is that on the west coast spring 

 rains prevail, and on the east coast summer rains; while in the middle of the colony 

 the driest season is antunm, and in the south it is winter and spring. 



The contrast between the east and west coasts in the matter of rainfall is as 

 striking as the difference in temperature. Thus, in the North Island, Napier on 

 the east has only half the amount of rain that falls in Taranaki on the west. But 

 the Middle Island, with its longitudinal range of lofty mountains, exhibits this fea- 

 ture in a still more marked manner, for the rainfall on the west is nearly five times 

 that on the east. The excess of precipitation on the coast is clearily illustrated by 

 the distribution of the glaciers on the opposite sides of the range ; those on the 

 west slope have an excessive supply of snow, and descend to a line where the mean 

 annual temperature is 50 F., while on the east slope they descend only to the 

 mean annual temperature of 37. The winter snow line of the " Southern Alps " on 

 the east side is 3,000 feet and that on the west side 3,700 feet. 



Periods of lasting drought are almost unknown in New Zealand, and 

 only in two instances do the records show a whole month at any sta- 

 tion without rain. 



Winds. The configuration of the colony its great length from north 

 to south, compared with its breadth, its extent of coast line, and the 

 division of the two principal parts by Cook Strait renders it very 

 subject to sea breezes. As a consequence, in parts of the country 

 there is at times much violent motion in the atmosphere, and windy 

 days are prevalent. 



Owing to the fact that most atmospheric disturbances pass from west 

 to east, with the center of the depression to the south of New Zealand, 

 there is a marked prevalence of westerly winds throughout all seasons, 

 but they are much modified by the form of the land. When the center 

 passes to the north of New Zealand, the result is that the northeast 

 winds impinge on the east coast, bringing rain, followed by cold south- 

 easters, with heavy storms of rain and snow during winter in the 

 south. The more common westerly winds begin in the north-northwest, 

 with very heavy rain on the west coast, and gradually veering to south- 

 west, when fair bright weather invariably sets in on that coast, but 

 the same southerly wind, sweeping along the east side of the islands, 

 brings heavy, strong weather, locally known as " southerly busters," 



