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Information Service.— Written requests for climatological data averaged about a dozen per month. Telephone inquiries were somewhat more numerous. About a hundred inquirers called personally to copy records or to discuss problems which were affected by weather or climate. Many inquiries could be answered immediately from statistics already available, but some required detailed investigation. Among these were several analyses of storms, notably those which have affected the Manawatu Catchment, and the floods of May, 1948, in the Waipaoa and Wairoa Rivers. Some progress has been made in the preparation of summaries of rainfall data from past rainfall records. Tabulations of periods of excessive rain and of maximum daily falls for each month of every record have been almost completed. Monthly summaries of climatological data are supplied for publication in the Journal of Agriculture, Meat and Wool, and in the press. Reporting Organization and Instruments The most notable feature of the activities of the Reporting and Instruments Section during the year was the work connected with the introduction of new 'international reporting code forms. These codes were developed by the International Meteorological Organization and were recommended for introduction throughout the world on Ist January, 1949. They cover upper-air observations and aircraft reports, in addition to surface reports from land stations and ships at sea. The introduction of the new codes was an undertaking of considerable magnitude and entailed the rewriting of all instructions on the making of weather reports and the reprinting of the many code sheets, synoptic maps, and forms used in this connection. To ensure a smooth changeover, personal visits were made by Inspectors' from the section to every one of the hundredodd co-operative weather observers scattered throughout New Zealand, from Cape Reinga in the north to Puysegur Point in the far south-west. Arrangements were also made to change over to the new codes as many as possible of the stations outside New Zealand, as well as most of the ships on the New Zealand Selected Ships List, and many of the supplementary ships and casual traders. Opportunity will be taken during the Pacific Island cruises of the R.N.Z.N. frigates in 1949 to arrange inspections of the majority of the reporting stations in our Island network. A conference of all Observers in Charge of Branch Observing Offices and Senior Observers of Branch Forecasting Offices within New Zealand was held in Wellington early in November, 1948, with the primary object of passing on detailed instructions concerning the new codes to all Meteorological Office staff. Weather Reporting Organization. —During the year additional hourly weather reports were instituted from the aeradio stations at Tauranga, Rotorua, Westport, and Kaikoura. Arrangements were also made to enable emergency reports to be obtained from Seddon. Pilot-balloon observations were commenced from Campbell Island, while a fulltime meteorological observer was sent to the Kermadecs to increase and improve the pilot-balloon observations from Raoul Island. Automatic rain-gauges of the Dines tilting syphon type were set up at the following stations: Waerenga-o-Kuri, Paeroa, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Alexandra, Taieri, Wairoa, Glenbervie, Mechanics Bay, Onepoto, Waipukurau, Stronvar, Murchison, Kaikoura, Hanmer, and Gore. The reporting station at Norfolk Island was finally handed over to the Australian Meteorological Service, and all New Zealand personnel withdrawn in July, 1948.

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