G'morning David,

 DW> I should have said that shadows *cast onto a horizontal surface* move
 DW> anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere. If the're cast onto a
 DW> vertical surface, they can move clockwise. That's why a British sundial
 DW> might work down there if it's attached to a north-facing vertical wall.

 DW> Let us know what you find at the library.

Hilarity and mirth !

The dial sits outside what looks like an American Courthouse and 
was so installed correctly in 1926.  They rennovated the grounds 
about 5 years ago,  and reinstalled the plinth and its round plate 
correctly - but attached the gnonom back to front.

Sprott spotted this and sought correction - finally getting it 
when he went to the media, generating the controversy I mentioned 
earlier.  And then some twit half-inched the gnonom - which still 
missing.

The plate is correctly orientated to the solar south when I 
inspected it,  and has been beautiful engraved for its Auckland 
location with both proper times and a detailed set of 
calendarisations around the rim.  It is signed `J.Kenderdine', but 
undated.

As the Librarian was most perturbed by the lack of action over 
replacement,  I phoned Sprotty (recently returned from Canada 
where he has a consulting practice - `TJ Sprott & Co' was his NZ 
consulting name years ago) and got a concise briefing on the 
status of the dial - hard copy to come in the mail.

It seems that he made detailed measurements of both the dial and 
its gnonom,  and has designed a replacement ready for Council 
approval.

The glitch in the process comes from the Coucil bureaucrats who 
have failed to let the one hand (Sprott) know what the other (The 
library) is about;   thanks to you,  I'll shortcircuit that and 
prompt some action - the gnonom will be properly nailed down this 
time (and given a NZ electric fence unit, if I have my way).

I'll comment further when Sprott's proposal gets here.

Miles. 
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