SCIENTIST WELCOMED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 232, 1 October 1925, Page 13

SCIENTIST WELCOMED.

SIR ERNEST RUTHERFORD.

A SOCIAL GATHERING,

ENTERTAINED AT SCOTS HATX.

Although there are probably very few npniile in*.Auckland capable of appreciating Ernest Rutherford's scientific attainments at their real merit, there are many hundreds who admire sincerely the reputation he has made in the K-ientific world, who like him for the unspoiled modesty with which ie bears his honours, and who are none the less plea»ed that he happens to be. a New Zealander by birth. About eight hundred of these many admirers met Sir Krnest evening in the Scots Hall, Cpper >i.n:ond= Street, where a conver-.-azione was held under the auspices of the L'niversity College authorities, the Auckland Institute, the Auckland branch nf the British Medical Association, and the Auckland branch of the Society of Civil Engineers. It was fitting that the dnren of science in Auckland, Professor .A. P. VV. Thomas, should preside. The big hall was set out with tables and pot plants, and looked quite cosy. Music was supplied by the University College orchestra and others.

In one of his characteristically telling speeches Professor Thomas paid a graceful compliment to the guest of the evening, and congratulated him upon his epoch-making achievements and the honours he had won and so richly deserved. Thi- professor recalled the fact that, thirty-three years ago, when he was being ehown over the laboratory at Cante; bury College. Professor Hutton paid they had a good student from whom they expected great things, aud bis name was Rutherford. Professor Thomas said he had never forgotten the remark, and time had showed how amply Professor Hutton s expectations had been justified.

Sir Krnest Rutherford showpd that he has a keen sense of humour as well as genius for science. Speaking seriously, he referred to Professor Thomas' remarks about student days in Canterbury College, and said the study he had then done was good, and the College laid a thoroughly sound foundation. He had always been proud of the fact that he was a Xetr Zealander. Ln spite of the strenuous efforts of an Australian journalist to make him out to be a "good Australian.'' Ln the course of some interesting rpfereDces to his work at Cambridge, where he is Cavendish Professor. Sir Krnest said that working at tiie Carendish Laboratory there were from -50 to 100 men. who were really enthusiastic, intensely interested in their work, and possessed of a very considerable knowledge of physical science. That was one of the advantages of living in a great institution like Cambridge. It was an easy matter to meet numbers of men who were all interested in the same things and who kept each other in touch with advancing ideas. Knowledge in particular sciences had gTown to such vast proportions that it was not difficult to imagine the case of one famous scientist who professed to read but 10 per cent of the authoritative papers on his subject. He left the perusal of the remaining 90 per cent to his assistants. It was impossible for one man really to know the literature of science.

Speaking of University work in New Zealand, Sir Ernest said there was a tendency in a new and young country to consider that all that was required was a grounding in the "three RV and the essentials of a commercial calling or a profession, but if the University in New Zealand was to take its proper place in the Empire, a great deal more than that would have to be done. He looked forward to the time when the population would be large enough to permit of a larger representation of the individual sciences at the University. He hoped to visit New Zealand again in another ten rears' time, and when he came he trusted lie would see that a definite advance had been made along those lines. Lecture This Evening. "The Structure of Atoms"' is the title of a lecture to be given this evening in the Scots Hall by Sir Ernest Rutherford. On this, his particular hobby and forte, he is admitted to be a most fascinating lecturer, and s has the special faculty of being able to make his abstruse subject so simple, or rather to explain it in such simple language that even the least scientific can understand it. The lecture is to be given under the auspices of the Auckland University College. Admission will .be free.