CLIMATE OF NEW ZEAI.AND. 437 



geologists liave observed modifications of the coastline due to former convulsions 

 or other underground phenomena. The hypothesis has even been advanced that 

 the whole of the archipelago is subject to oscillations of level analogous to those 

 of the^ Scandinavian Peninsula. While the northern part of North Island would 

 appear to be slowly subsiding, the rest of the land is said to have been perceptibly 

 upraised even within the short period of British colonisation. Sudden upheavals 

 caused by violent igneous disturbances account for the withdrawal of the marine 

 waters in some places, and especially in the harbour of Wellington on the north 

 side of Cook Strait. But elsewhere the movement appears to have been much 

 slower, and unattended by perceptible shocks, as attested b}' deposits of pumice 

 occurring at different elevations along the seaboard. In 1847 there was discovered 

 in South Island nearly 650 feet inland from the coast and far above highwater mark 

 the hulk of a vessel supposed to be the Active, which had been shipwrecked in 1814, 

 that is, only thirty-three years previously. 



Climate of New Zealand. 



The climate of the archipelago has been compared to that of Great Britain, 

 although the mean temperature of the tracts occupied by the British settlers is 

 considerably higher than that of their native land. Great climatic contrasts, how- 

 ever, are presented between the extreme sections of New Zealand, which stretches 

 for a space of over 900 miles across nearly 14 degrees of latitude. Thus the peninsula 

 of North Island enjoys an Italian climate, while the southern regions recall that of 

 Scotland, and Stewart Island that of the Orkney Archipelago.* But in these 

 oceanic lands the sudden shifting of the winds is attended by corresponding changes 

 from heat to cold, from wet to dry, changes which are here everywhere abrupt. 

 The temperature, however, is on the whole more equable along the western seaboard 

 exposed to the least variable marine breezes. On the other hand the discrepancies 

 are ver}^ great in certain parts of the east coast, and especially on the plains near 

 the Banks Peninsula. But notwithstanding the great transitions from heat to cold 

 the east side, being more sheltered by lofty ranges, enjoys a pleasanter climate than 

 the windy opposite slope, where a whole year passes without a single calm day. 



To the prevalence of westerly breezes the coastlands facing towards Australia 



are also indebted for their more abundant moisture, which falls as rain on the plains 



and lower slopes of the hills, as snow on the uplands. Amongst these winds that 



which sets from the north-west and which blows over the mountain ranges down 



to the eastern slopes resembles the Mediterranean scirocco in the phenomena 



accompanying it. This atmospheric current supplies an abundant rainfall to the 



side of the New Zealand Alps, which it strikes coming directly from the high seas ; 



hence it reaches the eastern plains as a dry wind ; during its prevalence the sky 



here assumes a deep blue colour, the heavy clouds that had gathered on the horizon 



* Climate of the chief New Zealand to\\nis : — 



Latitude. Mean Temp. Highest. Lowest. RainfaU. 



Auckland ... 36° 50' S. . . . 58° F. . . . 85° ... 28° ... 33 inches. 



Wellington . . 41° 16' ,, . . . 54° ,, ... 83° ... 25° ... 16 ,, 



Christchurch . . 43° 32' ,, . . . 52° ,, . . . 95° . . . 21° ... 29 ,, 



Dunedin ... 45° 52' ,, ... 51° ..... 84° ... 30° ... 33 ,, 



