1852 - Swainson, William. Auckland and its Neighbourhood - CHAPTER III, p 20-32

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CHAPTER III.

THE climate of New Zealand, though undoubtedly good, has been described injudiciously, and without discrimination. Beautiful, delightful, and splendid, are the epithets which have commonly been applied to it. These terms naturally convey the impression of an atmosphere rarely disturbed by wind or rain. Until its true value comes to be appreciated by them, strangers are at first somewhat rudely disenchanted by finding that their imaginary Paradise can be visited, and that, too, rather roughly, by the winds and rains of Heaven. This disenchantment frequently takes place at an early period; for it not uncommonly happens that vessels enter the Harbour in a gale of wind. Impatient to view the promised land, the new-comer, in spite of the weather, lands without delay. Wading along a sloppy clay road, in a boisterous gale of wind and rain, with, perhaps, an umbrella turned inside out in one hand, and his hat jammed tightly over his head with the other, he can scarcely divest himself of the idea that the ship must have lost her reckoning, and mistaken her port. Pride, however, prevents him asking questions, and politeness forbids disparaging remarks. But in New Zealand, as elsewhere, a storm is followed by a calm; and if disenchanted to-day, the new arrival will probably be charmed to-morrow by one of those calm, bright, and lovely mornings, whose beauty no language can fittingly describe. The fact is that the climate of a country may be fertile and salubrious-- and such is the climate of New Zealand--without being either splendid or delightful.

The general salubrity of the climate of New Zealand has now been established by the experience of years. For persons of delicate constitution, pre-disposed to disease of the lungs, it is unequalled, save by Madeira. Compared with that of Nice, one of the most celebrated continental climates, the climate of Auckland is more temperate in summer--milder in the winter--equally mild in the spring--but a little colder in the autumn:-- with this advantage, too, over all the

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boasted continental climates, that it is not so liable to the very great variations of temperature common to them all from sudden shifts of wind. The climate of New Zealand is doubtless less charming and delightful than that of Italy and the South of France, but it is certainly more salubrious, and probably better suited to the English constitution generally, than even the climate of Madeira. For although it has its share of wind, rain and broken weather, it has the advantage over Italy and France in being more limited in range of temperature-- embracing a less oppressive summer heat, and less sudden changes of temperature during the twenty-four hours, and a more gradual change of temperature from month to month.

Many of the Continental and Mediterranean climates are, during certain seasons of the year, finer, steadier, more agreeable than, and equally salubrious as, that of New Zealand, but their summer heat is in some cases too great; their autumn weather frequently unhealthy--winter, too cold--and spring objectionable from being liable to gusts of cold and chilling winds. By moving constantly about throughout the year--traversing continents and seas, it would no doubt be possible to be always in a fine and salubrious climate. But, as a fixed and permanent residence, there are probably few places to be found, in all respects, more suitable to the English constitution than New Zealand; and if that be so, then, few more suitable for persons of delicate chest or lungs; the true theory being, that for preventing the developement of diseases of the chest, that is the best climate which will admit of the greatest and most constant exposure to the open air, and which is at the same time best calculated to promote the general health; a tendency to disease of any kind being best warded off by keeping the bodily system in a vigorous tone of health.

Compared with Great Britain, New Zealand, so far as its general salubrity can be ascertained, possesses a marked superiority. From the results of observations made by Dr. Thomson, of the 58th Regiment, for a period of two years, from April 1848, to April 1850, when the strength of the troops stationed in the colony amounted to nearly two thousand men, it appears from the following valuable tables compiled by him, that, taking diseases generally, out of every thousand men, twice as many were admitted into Hospital in England as were admitted into hospital in New Zealand. And the mortality, amongst equal numbers treated was about 8 1/2 in New Zealand to 14 in England.

Cases of fever in New Zealand are rare. From the same Returns, it

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appears there are six cases of fever in Great Britain for one in New Zealand; and out of forty-seven cases in New Zealand there was but one death. Of diseases of the lungs, three cases were admitted into hospital in Great Britain to one in New Zealand; and out of an equal number treated, seven terminated fatally in Great Britain, and but four in New Zealand. Diseases of the stomach and bowels are more prevalent by half in Great Britain than in New Zealand. Diseases of the liver and brain are nearly the same in the two countries. The only class of cases in which the comparison is unfavourable to New Zealand are complaints of the eye, which are more than twice as numerous here as they are in Great Britain. Small-pox and measles are as yet unknown in New Zealand.

TABLE showing the Annual Ratio of Admissions and Deaths among 1000 Troops at the following Stations from the undermentioned Classes of Disease:--

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Comparing New Zealand with the healthiest Foreign stations of the British army, it will appear from the following table, compiled by the same authority, taking into account all classes of disease receiving Hospital treatment, that the comparison is greatly in favour of this country. And with reference to pulmonary disease, there are in Malta two cases for one in New Zealand. In the Ionian Islands there are three cases to two in this country. At the Cape of Good Hope there are ten cases for six in New Zealand. In the Mauritius there are the fewest number of cases treated after New Zealand--the proportion being about eight in the Mauritius to six in New Zealand; but the mortality from pulmonary disease is twice as great in the Mauritius as it is in New Zealand. While in Australia there are twice as many cases of pectoral disease as in New Zealand, and the disease being, at the same time, twice as fatal:--

In cases of Fever, there are at least five in Malta, the Cape, and in Australia, to one in New Zealand.

Of Complaints of the Liver, there are two cases in the above-mentioned places to one in New Zealand.

And of diseases of the Stomach and Bowels, there are more than two cases at each of the above-mentioned places for one in this country.

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TABLE showing the Annual Ratio of Admissions and Deaths among 1000 Troops at the following Stations from the undermentioned Classes of Disease:--

* From seven years observation, ending March 1850, kindly furnished by Staff-Surgeon Shanks, Principal Medical Officer, New South Wales.

But assuming the above Returns to shew correctly the comparative healthiness of our troops in Great Britain, and at the various Foreign Stations, it does not necessarily follow that they correctly exhibit the comparative salubrity of the climates of the countries to which they relate, so far at least as regards the community at large --and for this reason, that our troops are for the most part lodged in barracks; and that the health of the men is influenced by the manner in which they are lodged, as well as by the climate of the country in which they may be stationed; and that barracks vary considerably in the several important particulars of size, ventilation, construction, and position. This result, therefore, might easily follow--that men stationed in a bad climate but lodged in barracks erected on a well chosen site, spacious, dry, well ventilated, well drained, and supplied with good water, may have fewer hospital cases and less mortality, than men stationed in a good climate, but lodged in barracks in a bad situation, close confined, ill drained, and badly constructed. But, making allowance for all such disturbing causes, there can be no doubt that the foregoing Tables afford satisfactory proof of the general salubrity of the country.

Compared with an English summer, that of Auckland is but little warmer, though much longer. But the nights in New Zealand are always cool and refreshing, and rest is never lost from the warmth and closeness of the night. It is also much warmer here both in the spring and

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autumn; and the winter weather of England, from the middle of November to the middle of March, with its parching easterly winds, cold, fog, and snow, altogether unknown. Snow, indeed, is never seen here; ice, very thin and very rarely; and hail is neither common nor destructive. The winter, however, is very wet, but not colder than an English April or October. There is a greater prevalence of high winds, too, than is personally agreeable: but with less wind the climate would not be more healthy. There is most wind in the spring and autumn; rather less in the summer; and least of all in winter.

Compared with the climate of Wellington, that of Auckland is a few degrees warmer both in summer and winter: the air here, too, being somewhat more soft and genial. Auckland has less wind than Wellington--but more rain. A better climate than that of either Auckland or Wellington is to be found in the Bay of Plenty, and along the East Coast of the broadest part of the Northern Island where the weather is steadier and more settled, with much less wind and rain.

The Seasons are the reverse of those in England. Spring commences in September; Summer in December; Autumn in April; and Winter in the middle of June.

In the Summer, during settled weather, a calm commonly prevails until about ten or eleven o'clock in the morning: the heat is then moderated by a brisk sea breeze from the north, which dies away at sunset.

Fruits, flowers, and vegetables, all thrive well; but owing perhaps to their more rapid growth, or, it may be that the same amount of care and attention has not yet been paid to the choice of stocks, and to their cultivation and management as in England, the flowers are rather less highly scented, and the fruits and vegetables less highly flavoured than at home. Cultivated flowers blow quickly; their colour is fine, and no word but profusion can describe their quantity. Figs, peaches, grapes, and melons, ripen in the open air. Gooseberries and currants succeed better in the south, the climate being colder. Strawberries are in season in November, December, and January; cherries and gooseberries in January; apples, pears, plums, peaches, and nectarines in February; and melons, figs and grapes, in March and April. The

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Geranium, Arum, Fuchsia, Balsam, Myrtle, Coronelia, Hydrangia, Heliotrope, and Gladiola, and Cape Bulbs of every kind, enjoy a vigorous existence in the open air, and roses blow without ceasing.

In the winter, long continued heavy rain is frequent, and the wet appears even more excessive than it is, because the paths and bye-roads as yet continue in their natural state, having their clayey surface unformed, unpaved, and undrained. In the intervals between the heavy winter rains, the weather is bright, clear, and bracing, --the growth of grass is scarcely ever checked by the winter cold, --and the Geranium, Stock and Wall Flower, Scarlet Verbena and Daisy, Indian May, and other flowers, may be seen to blow throughout the coldest season; and the face of the cultivated country, with its ever springing pastures, and ever-green trees, looks as bright and cheerful between the rains--on a sunny winter's day--as on an English summer landscape. More rain falls in Auckland than in England, taking an average of the whole country. But there are more fine dry days in Auckland than in the Northern and Western districts of England. Fogs are rarely seen here; thunder storms are less common and less violent than in England, and lightning, though common, is generally harmless.

The days are an hour shorter in the summer and an hour longer in the winter than in England. Of twilight there is little or none.

The prevailing winds are the S. W. and the N. E., the latter being always the warmer of the two, but it commonly freshens into a gale. By observers of the weather, it is thought that the N. E. gales occur more frequently within a day or two after the full and change of the moon than at any other time. These gales, after blowing for about forty-eight hours, cease suddenly when the wind chops round to the S. W., and the weather becomes clear and bright. With the wind at S. W. or S., the weather is commonly steady--settled fine, or settled wet. With the wind at W. or N. W., it is almost always showery, squally, and unsettled. Westerly winds fall in the evening. Occasionally the wind blows from the S. S. E. With the wind in that quarter, the weather is commonly cold, chilly, and wet. A shift of wind usually follows the course of the sun: when the wind shifts in an opposite direction settled weather is not expected.

In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At

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that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails: not a sound is heard-not a breath is stirring, as the rays of the rising sun are gently stealing o'er a world at rest. Every object breathes repose; and the peaceful landscape, softly sleeping, suffused with golden light, suggests an image of the world before its fall.

The change in the weather from month to month is very gradual.

JANUARY is one of the finest months in the year, and very favorable for the grain harvest. The temperature indicated by the thermometer out of doors--in the shade--taking an average of several years, is, at eight o'clock in the morning, 66°; at two o'clock in the afternoon, 74°; and eight o'clock in the evening, 62°. Taking an average of the same years and during the twenty-four hours, there are in this month, five showery days, two wet days (or days in which there is rain of three hours continuance), and twenty-four dry days. But, in New Zealand as in England, there is now and then an exceptional season. For instance, in January 1852 the weather was wet and unsettled, altogether unlike that which commonly prevails. In 1846 the weather in January was equally exceptional.

The temperature of the month of FEBRUARY nearly resembles that of January, being 67° at 8 A.M.; 73° at 2 P.M.; and 62° at 8 P.M.; being also usually equally dry. Showery days 5 1/2; wet days 2 1/2; dry days 20 1/2.

In MARCH the temperature fulls a little: 8 A.M. 63°; at 2 P.M. 70°; and at 8 P.M. 60°; but the weather is equally dry as in the two previous months. Showery days; wet days 2 1/2; and dry days 22.

In APRIL mosquitoes disappear, and the weather becomes sensibly cooler--more unsettled and showery. At 8 A.M. 58°; at 2 P.M. 66°; and at 8 P.M. 57°. Showery days 12; wet days 3 1/2; and dry days 15 1/2. In the year 1852 the very wet January was followed by unusually dry weather. Between the 23rd of January and the middle of May there was not one wet day, and the showers were unusually slight.

In the month of MAY the air begins to have an autumnal feel--but the weather is wet--much more wet than in the preceding month. --Towards the end of the month there are generally some of the finest days in the year--calm, temperate, and bright. Temperature at 8 A.M. 52°; at 2 P.M. 60°; and at 8 P.M. 52° Showery days 11; wet days 4; and dry days 16.

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In the month of JUNE the weather is cold and chilly--but it is very little more unsettled than the two preceding months. In this month also the fine days are very fine. Temperature at 8 A.M. 49°; at 2 P.M. 46°: and at 8 P.M. 49°. Showery days 11; wet days 4; and dry days 15.

JULY is generally the worst month in the year--the very depth of winter--cold and wet. The ground being now saturated with moisture the water does not readily drain away or evaporate. The dry days are commonly bright and clear; but here is little frost and no snow; the temperature being about 10° warmer here than in an English winter. At 8 A.M. 47°; at 2 P.M. 53°, and at 8 P.M. 47°. The number of showery days being 13; wet days 6; and dry days 12.

In AUGUST a slight improvement commonly takes place. There is rather less rain than in July, and towards the end of the month the air becomes perceptibly warmer. But if the preceding months have been unusually fine, August is then the worse of the two. Temperature at 8 A.M. 50°; at 2 P.M. 56°; and at 8 P.M. 49°. Showery days 10; wet days 5 1/2; dry days 15 1/2.

In SEPTEMBER, spring commences. The number of days on which rain falls may not be much less than in the preceding month, but the quantity is smaller, and, owing to an increase in the temperature, the roads are now observed to dry up after a shower, and a decided improvement is perceptible. Temperature at 8 A.M. 53°; at 2 P.M. 58°; and at 8 P.M. 51°. Number of showery days 8 1/2; wet days 5; and dry days 16 1/2.

The weather in OCTOBER is rarely the same for two successive years, being sometimes fine and dry, but more commonly coarse, cold, and boisterous. The temperature is higher than in September, but the number of days on which rain falls, as well as the quantity is usually the same. High winds and heavy squalls from the westward, with showers, commonly prevail at this season, and it sometimes happens that owing to the force of the wind the cold is as much felt as during the winter when calms prevail. The peach blossoms frequently suffer severely during this boisterous weather. Temperature at 8 A.M. 54°; at 2 P.M. 62°; and at 8 P.M. 53°. Showery days 11; wet days 4 1/2; and dry days 15

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In NOVEMBER the temperature increases rapidly, but the weather continues unsettled, rain being almost as frequent as during the two preceding months. By shutting up the meadows early, grass would now be ready to cut; but owing to the unsettled state of the weather in this month a sufficient interval of fine dry weather for hay-making cannot be counted upon. The practice is beginning to prevail of shutting up the grass later than was formerly the custom so as to postpone the season of hay harvest until December. Temperature at 8 A.M. 59°; at 2 P. M. 66°; and at 8 P. M. 55°. Showery days 11; wet days 4; and dry days 15.

In DECEMBER the weather is still warmer and more settled than in November; not so warm as January, but having commonly an equal number of dry days. Temperature at 8 A.M. 58°. Number of showery days 6 1/2; wet days 2 1/2; and dry days 22. For travelling in the bush this is one of the finest months.

A Table of the Mean Temperature of the Air at Auckland; and showing the number of Showery, Wet, and Dry Days.

* The average result of four years observations with a thermometer placed in the shade and exposed to a free current of air.

** For the same period. --The showery days note the slightest showers that fall during the 24 hours. The rainy days--rain for three hours continual. The dry days are with few exceptions bright and sunny.

The following valuable Meteorological Table and Explanatory Notes were kindly furnished to the writer by Dr. A. S. Thomson, M.D., 58th Regiment.

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METEOROLOGICAL TABLE for AUCKLAND, New Zealand, kept during the Years 1849, 1850, and 1851. The results are deduced from Observations made during all these Years, unless otherwise stated.

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1. --The mean annual temperature of Auckland during the above years was 59 1/2 degrees, Fahrenheit's scale. This was drawn from four observations daily, and corresponds almost exactly with the mean temperature given by the late Dr. Johnson, Colonial Surgeon. Florence, Naples, Rome, Marseilles, Toulon, and some other places in Europe, have a similar mean annual temperature to Auckland; but the winter months are colder and the summer months are warmer in all these European places than in Auckland. The distinguishing feature of the temperature of Auckland is its monthly equability. The mean temperature of the Summer months,

December, January, and February, is...........66

Of the Autumn months,
March, April, and May, ................ 60

Of the Winter months,
June, July, and August, ...............52 1/2

Of the Spring months,
September, October, and November.............57

2. --The thermometer rarely rises above 84° even for a few hours in the height of Summer. This column indicates the mean of the three highest temperatures registered each month during three years.

3. --The lowest temperature is taken from a Register thermometer. The temperature rarely falls to 32° Fahrenheit. Snow I have never seen on the ground; and perhaps once a year, when the nights are clear, a thin layer of ice is seen on some very shallow pools of water. The temperature indicated by the thermometer may not be 32 when this occurs; the evaporation tends to assist in the formation of ice. This column indicates the mean of the three lowest temperatures registered each month during three years. I have seen the Register thermometer at 32° Fahr.

4. --The average daily range is the difference between the lowest temperature on the Register Thermometer during the night, and the highest in the shade during the day. The average daily range for the whole year is 14 degrees. This is considerable. At London the average daily range is 11 degrees, at Montpelier 12, at Hastings 12, at Rome 11, at Newport, Isle of Wight, 14 1/2.

5. --The temperature of the Solar Rays was drawn from observations made in 1849 and 1850. A thermometer was placed in the sun's rays, in a place sheltered from the wind, about 2 P.M., and the temperature observed. The highest seen was 125. The result given is the mean of two years.

6. --These hygrometric observations were made during two years 1849-50. A thermometer was hung up in a shady place, not exposed to the wind; its bulb was covered with muslin, which was moistened with water, and the fall of temperature caused by the evaporation registered in the morning, at noon and in the evening. February, December, and January are the months during which the air is dryest. The average fall during the year was 4 3/4 degrees.

7. --One hundred and fifty-five is the average number of days on which rain fell at Auckland during the year. This is the mean of three years' observation, and includes every day on which any rain fell, even if the quantity was not sufficient to affect the pluviometer. It is necessary to bear in mind that many of these days were fine pleasant days--and during most of them out-door work could be carried on. Thus, in 1851, there were 148 days on which rain fell, but only 34 were what could be denominated rainy days. Dr. Johnson, Colonial Surgeon, found, on an average drawn from four years observation (1840 to 1844), that there were 157 rainy and showery days at Auckland. In England the rainy and showery days are almost equally distributed over the whole year; but at Auckland there are twice as many rainy days during the three winter months as during the three summer months.

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8. --The average annual fall of rain at Auckland during the foregoing years was 42 1/2 inches. During the year 1851 only 34 inches fell; and Dr. JOHNSON found that the quantity of rain at Auckland, for the year ending August, 1844, was 31 inches. The average fall of rain in the United Kingdom is about 34 inches annually; but in the western or hilly countries it is 48 or 50 inches.

9. --The column marked "highest" Barometer, indicates the mean of the three highest measurements registered each month during three years. A similar remark is applicable to the column marked "lowest." The mean annual height of the barometer at Auckland is 29.86. The annual range 1.17 degrees. The lowest I have seen the barometer at Auckland was 28.96. This occurred on the 18th October, 1818, the day on which the severe earthquake occurred at Wellington. The two barometers in my possession gave the same results on this day.

WINDS AT AUCKLAND. --Fine dry weather is sometimes seen in all winds; but, as a rule, when winds having a northerly direction prevail, the weather is often cloudy and unsettled, atmosphere moist: the thermometer rises a few degrees, and northerly winds often terminate in a short gale. When winds having much westerly prevail, the weather is often unsettled with showers; it frequently blows very hard from the west in winter and spring. Easterly gales often occur about the full and change of the moon, and blow for two or three days on such occasions: in winter these easterly gales are often very violent. When the winds have a considerable southerly direction, the weather is fine, atmosphere dry, sky clear, and the thermometer falls.

There is a sea breeze sets in from the north about 10 A.M. in calm weather, and dies away at sunset, when a light land breeze from the southward occasionally springs up.