WRAGGE’S COMING DROUGHT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9340, 8 January 1909, Page 5

WRAGGE’S COMING DROUGHT.

NOT OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED. United Press Assoolation. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Melbourne, January 7. The acting Federal Meteorologist says it is not known why Mr Clement Wragge issued his prediction of the big drought in Australia. The probability was that the statement was based on a supposed connection between the state of the sun and the weather conditions of the earth. Scientists were divided on the.point, but there was no justification for assuming that a connection is established. Australian records do not furnish any indication of a coming drought in Australia. (Auckland Special.) Mr Wragge’s prediction of drought in Australia referred' to in the Melbourne cablegram, was wired from Australia, which he says is gradually again evolving drought conditions, but the bad season there is yet to come. It is only just beginning there, and you may expect that the general deficiency of rain will be getting worse and worse daring the next few years, but it is not to be expected that it will be so bad as the last big drought of 1900 to 1903. Bush fires yon will see have already commenced. The probabilites are that in New Zealand the general temperature will also be somewhat above the average in the next few - years, but this country cannot, by reason of its position, have snob extremes as Australia.” Mr Wragge, who arrived ia Auckland on Tuesday, said to an interviewer. “We have just come through the most remarkable period of solar activity on record. The sun many times previously has had its maximum and minimum moods aud, during the former, the great cyclones which form the sun spots are more pronounced than at any other times. On this occasion the maximum period has been unduly prolonged, and ought to have come to an end, according to all former observations, in the early part of 1907. As a matter of faot, ever since then the storms have teen getting somewhat less, though there have been ahnorinal solar cyclones noticeable on several occasions. “Although the minimum mood' of the sun is gradually coming, yet this abnormal maximum period is very stubborn, and is, as it were, trying to hold its own. As evidence of that, there is this rising solar outburst. Under its influence these vibrations have been flung off by two big storms now showing on the face of the sun. “The portions where the surface of the earth is weak at once respond. Thus we have these fearful outbursts, which have occurred in South Italy, where the crust of the earth has responded only too readily to the vibrations set np by the two storms. ” Mr Wragge then brought out his solar telescope, 7 and, on pointing it at the sun, a circle of light was re-flected-on a sheet of paper placed in the eye-piece. On this were seen, with startling distinctness, two prominent spots, with a third and smaller one at the side. “Those two,” said Mr Wragge, “were,without doubt the cyclones that caused the big earthquake. I first noticed them appear on the edge of the sun about six'or seven days ago—jnst at the time of the quake.”