PREDICTION BY MR. WRAGGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 707, 5 January 1910, Page 5

PREDICTION BY MR. WRAGGE.

DROUGHT COMING. - CBy; Telegraph.—Press :■ 'Association.) Auckland, January i. Mr. Clement L. "Wragge, the well* known meteorologist, arrived in Auck> land this morning, after ' a lecturing tour through the Dominion. Reminded that, when in Auckland last January, he had, prophesied a drought for the Southern Hemisphere, and,' incidentally, for Now Zealand, Mr. Wraggo stated that he had no reason now to alter his opinion. Heavy rains had since fallen, and floods had , taken place, not only in New Zealand but in Australia. Tho ex- ■ plauation for this, Mr. Wragge explains, is that the maximum mood or condition of the sun has been abnormal and abnormally ' prolonged. .While the eolar maximum lasted, the rainfall would "be good in tho Southern 'Hemisphere as a whole. The solar minimum, however, is already , overdue, and is now actually , coming. This means a deficiency in the rainfall south of tho Equator, and especially in continental countries such as Australia and South America. "TCo have -already had a first, inkling of the coming deficiency in the rainfall in tho drought that has actually boon reported from Central New South Wales, % this being .followed by devastating bush fires," said Mr. Wragge. "Other evidences are forthcoming in the lack of rainfall in Central Otago, where I have just been, and the drought that is still , understood to ba prevailing in the Argentine, and other parts of boutn America. Whatever "may have taken placo in the last few months can only be taken as an indication that my prediction of a coming deficiency in the rainfall within the next five years will bo verified in the , main." ■