N.Z. PHYSICIST TO GO TO CANADA

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27986, 5 June 1956, Page 10

N.Z. PHYSICIST TO GO TO CANADA

Dissatisfaction With Salaries

NEW POST, £2500 A YEAR

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN. June 4.

Because he has found that he cannot earn more than £BOO or £9OO a year in New Zealand, Mr James M. McKenzie, former assistant lecturer in physics at Otago University, will leave on Saturday for Canada to take a post at £2500 a year. He expects that his salary will quickly rise to £5OOO or £6OOO a year, or perhaps more. Mr McKenzie, aged 30. built the 1.000.000-volt atom-smashing apparatus at Otago University. He said today that he would be employed by Atomic Energy of Canada. Ltd., a Crown company which is the Canadian equivalent of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. He will work about 2*o miles out of Ottawa on the Chalk river projects.

Mr McKenzie said he had applied for various jobs in New Zealand and found that he could not earn a salary beyond £BOO or £9OO a year in any occupation suitable to his training. It seemed that he could not rise above an assistant lectureship at a university college without overseas experience. As the term of his assistant lectureship was expiring, he applied for information about work available with Atomic Energy of Canada. Ltd. Immediately a message was cabled back to him: “Interested in your qualifications. Send more details." After further correspondence Mr McKenzie accented the company’s offer. He will work initially in the applied physics section producing geiger. proportional. and gas flow counters for testing the reliability of nuclear reactors. In a few months, when he has settled down, he will probably shift to some branch of the work that particularly interests him. The comnany will provide a house for him and his family.

Mr McKenzie was educated at the Ashburton High School, and from 1942 to 1946 was ah electrical fitter with the State Hydro-electric Deoartment. He began studies at Canterbury, University College in 1947. ani after four years took his M.Sc. decree with honours in physics, and was a graduate member of the Institute o' Electrical Engineers (Lon/on). In 195! he was appointed assistant lecturer in physics at Otago University. He completed his term at the end of last year.