1T.—34.

METEOROLOGICAL BRANCH.

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR, 1937-38. General. The Branch has again been preoccupied principally throughout the year with the provision of the requisite service for aviation. In New Zealand there have been various extensions to existing air services. During the year it was announced that a trans-Tasman service would be inaugurated in the near future. At the same time Pan-American Airways were arranging to commence regular flights on their trans-Pacific route. It became clear that a conference of the Meteorological authorities of the south-west Pacific should be called without delay. With the support of the British and the Australian authorities one was eventually arranged. These matters are discussed elsewhere in this report. The securing of a qualified staff continues to present difficulties, but some of the more senior of the recent appointees have made considerable progress in meteorology, valuable experience has been gained, and the special forecasting and reporting routine for aviation is' beginning to settle down into its final form. The closest co-operation has been maintained with the Air Department. The most important prerequisite for a modern forecasting service is the provision of adequate facilities for rapid and frequent inter-communication. In this direction we have had the greatest possible assistance from the Post and Telegraph Department and the Aeradio Committee. Observing-stations. The establishment of branch offices at the Royal Air Force bases at Auckland and Christchurch has involved the provision of first-class stations at the Hobsonville and Wigram aerodromes. New climatological stations have been set up also at Gisborne, Wanganui, Westport, Onawe (in Akaroa Harbour), and at the new radio station at Jackson's Bay. The State Forest Service has equipped a station at their Roto-ehu Plantation. Eight new rainfall stations have been provided, while five have been discontinued. With the help of Union, Cook Strait, and East Coast Airways a considerable amount of inspection has been done. It is possible, however, to give very little instruction to observers. It would be a very great advantage to the service if observers at both reporting and climatalogical stations could be given short periodical courses of instruction at the Meteorological Office. At present observers have to rely almost entirely on written instructions and the knowledge gradually gained by experience. In view of the conditions the majority of observers do remarkably well, and their co-operation j which is almost entirely voluntary, is once more gratefully recognized. Forecasting. The above subject is discussed to some extent in reference to Aviation Meteorology and the Regional Conference. There have, however, been extensions of the forecasts for the general public. A number of additional district weather forecasts for publication in the newspapers or for broadcasting from the National and National Commercial Broadcasting Services have been instituted. The number of requests for forecasts for special occasions by institutions or private individuals has increased greatly. The broadcasts of weather for aviators during the day have enabled people to keep in close touch with developments and have resulted in much more attention being given to the weather and the forecasting of it. It is hoped that it will be possible before long to introduce an improved weather reporting and forecasting service for shipping. This would be particularly valuable to overseas vessels, and His Majesty's ships and would be some return for the increased demand for co-operation from shipping arising from developments in aviation. Aviation Meteorology. During the year Aviation Service Stations have been set up at the R.N.Z.A.F. bases at Auckland and Christchurch. Dr. W. A. Macky is in charge of that at Hobsonville, and Mr. L. N. Larsen of that at Wigram Aerodrome. Each of these stations has, at present, a staff of four. The Auckland station is concerned principally with the work involved in giving a meteorological service for trans-ocean flying and will become of increasing importance as this field of aviation develops. The chief function of the Christchurch station, on the other hand, is the provision of instruction in meteorology for Air Force trainees. It acts also as a local forecasting centre for aviation purposes, while, in addition, very useful information is being obtained by means of periodical meteorological flights from which are obtained data regarding the pressure, temperature, and humidity of the atmosphere from various levels up to a maximum of about 20,000 ft. All the weather reports received at the Wellington office are reissued, in international code, to Hobsonville and Wigram Aerodromes by means of short-wave radio. During the year regular broadcasts of aviation weather reports have been introduced and are issued through station 2YA of the National Broadcasting Service at 6.50 a.m., 10 a.m., and 1 p.m. each day (10 a.m. and 1 p.m. only on Sundays). These broadcasts, which include weather reports from sixteen of the principal aerodromes throughout the country, are particularly useful to aero clubs and private fliers and in connection with aerial-taxi work. It has been found also that considerable \xse is made of these reports and the accompanying forecasts by the general public.

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