October 1959: A cool month over most of the country, with an unusually high frequency of southerly and easterly winds. Anticyclonic conditions predominated over the South Island, while a series of depressions travelled from the North Tasman Sea southeastwards across the North Island, causing some heavy falls of rain in eastern areas of the North Island. Good rains in the middle of the month brought relief to dried-up pastures in Canterbury, but in parts of Otago it was still too dry. A late snowfall caused some lamb losses in the south, but generally it was a good lambing season.
Rainfall: In east coast areas of the North Island and eastern Bay of Plenty rainfall was about double the average. Near Napier, where there was an exceptionally heavy fall of 6.39” on the 15th, monthly totals were up to 4 times the average. Only about half the average rainfall occurred in Nelson and Central Otago, and on the West Coast, while the remainder of the country had about normal rainfall.
Temperatures: It was colder than usual by about 1F-3F south of Wanganui and Gisborne. Highest departures of 2F-4F were experienced in eastern districts of the South Island. In Canterbury it was the coldest October since 1945. In the Auckland and Taranaki provinces temperatures were close to or somewhat above normal. Snow fell in the central North Island between the 3rd and 7th, and some heavy falls were recorded in inland Canterbury between the 14th and 17th.
Sunshine: The whole of the South Island had more sunshine than usual and on the West Coast departures up to 90 hours above average were recorded. By contrast, except in Taranaki, sunshine was below normal in the North Island, the deficit being large on the East Coast. Gisborne’s record low value was 83 hours below average.
[Some totals: Te Hapua 177, Kaitaia 168, Kerikeri 156, Whangarei 150, Auckland 166, Tauranga 145, Whakatane 161, Taupo 165, Hamilton 157, New Plymouth 176, Masterton 151, Gisborne 121, Napier 148, Wairoa 124, Paraparaumu 184, Ohakea 161, Palmerston Nth 144, Levin 178, Wellington 180, Wanganui 164, Westport 198, Hokitika 219, Greymouth 209, Haast 248, Nelson 230, Blenheim 230, Grassmere 203, Mt Cook 128 [suspect], Methven 232, Christchurch 223, Tekapo 239, Timaru 234, Waimate 193, Omarama 228, Dunedin 180, Queenstown 210, Alexandra 251, Invercargill 180, Campbell Is 69, Chatham Is 121].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.