Ninth Amrual Report. 515 



The monthly returns from these stations are forwarded to the Head 

 Office, and an abstract of the whole prepared each month for publication in 

 the N'ew Zealand Gazette. The biennial Eeport for 1873-74 has been issued 

 in the pamphlet form, and the same Eeport for 1875-76 is being prepared. 

 The Eesults of Meteorological Observations taken at all the Stations in New 

 Zealand, for 1876, have been printed, and incorporated with the Eegistrar 

 General's Statistics for that year. 



A monthly report is also furnished of the climate at six of the principal 

 stations, for publication with the monthly vital statistics. A return, giving 

 the daily meteorological readings, with averages and remarks, for the Head 

 Office at Wellington, is printed monthly in the newspapers. The usual 

 abstract of the climate of New Zealand for 1876 has been supplied for Vol. 

 IX. of the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 



Astronomical. — Time Ball Observatoey. 



The Observatory is in good order, the astronomical clock being now in 

 an excellent state of adjustment, with a steady rate. All the other instru- 

 ments are in good condition. Eating time is given to the shipping by the 

 starting clock and time-ball at least once a week at WelUngton, due notice 

 being given in the morning papers. Mean time is also transmitted to 

 Lyttelton ; but, as it is not by the automatic clock, the same accuracy 

 cannot be obtained. 



The observations are, as hitherto, chiefly taken by the Yen. Archdeacon 

 Stock, B.A., assisted by Mr. J. Kebbell, who is a most skilful and 

 enthusiastic amateur. 



The only extra work at the Observatory during the past year was the 

 search for the supposed intra-mercurial planet, which was made at the 

 request of the Astronomer Eoyal, and in which I had the cordial assistance 

 of Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., and Mr. J. Newton Coleridge, C.E., 

 whose experience, as amateur photographers, was of great service on such 

 an occasion. 



Laboratory. 



The following is a summary of analyses performed in the Colonial 

 Laboratory during the past year : — 



Analyses. 



1. Coals ... ... ... ... ... 22 



2. Eocks and Minerals ... ... ... ... 22 



3. Metals and Ores ... ... ... ... 38 



4. Examination for Gold and Silver ... ... 81 



5. Waters ... ... ... ... ... 23 



6. Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... 32 



Total ,.. 168 



