COUNCIL FOR 1904. 
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during the year, and their occurrence with anti-cyclonic con¬ 
ditions in winter ought to be so well known, that no railway 
company should be found unprepared for them. 
A Mean Pressure of 29*934 inches at normal temperature 
and mean sea level has been recorded as against 29*863 inches 
for 1903, February being much the lowest with 29*533 inches, 
September and June being highest with 30*072, and 30*042 
inches respectively. The extreme range of pressure was 2*041 
inches as compared with 1*790 inches in 1903, the highest 
reading being taken on Jan. 22nd, 30*723 inches at 9 a.m. and 
the lowest, 28*662 inches on Feb. 9th at 9 p.m. This increase 
of the general average of barometric pressure marks the 
improvement of weather conditions, especially in the latter 
part of the year. 
Rain or Snow (0*005 inches or more) fell on 189 days, an 
acceptable reduction of 29 rainy days on the number for 1902, 
the total rainfall for 1904 being only 20*82 inches as against 
30*31 inches for 1903, a diminution of 9*49 inches for the year, 
almost bringing the annual rainfall to the low record of 1902, 
18*69 inches. The heavy rainfall of the year occurred in the 
early months, causing much difficulty in dealing with the land 
which became soaked and rotten with the excessive moisture. 
Yet the annual fall was 3*68 inches below the average for the 
last 60 years. The wettest months for the year were August, 
May and February, in order of merit, with 3*09, 2*56, 2*34 
inches respectively. 
The cumulative totals since 1S41 are now :—August 171*39 
inches, October 172*60 inches, July 162*01 inches. October, 
which last year was our wettest month, giving only *70 in. as 
compared with 6*95 in 1902. The observations of the winds 
show that on 4 days of the year the wind blew with the force 
of a “gale,” while the chief air-currents S. (189) ; W. 169) : 
N. (97) ; S.W. (88), 16 days being “ calm.” Days of “ clear" 
sky reach only 35, as against 38, “ overcast ” are 117 as com¬ 
pared with 125 (*03) and 142 (*02), the mean amount of cloud 
being 6*1 as compared with 6*4. 
Sunshine has been recorded continuously throughout the 
year, and the general improvement in the weather conditions 
