NEW BOTANY DIRECTOR

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 11

NEW BOTANY DIRECTOR

Appointment Of Dr. E. J. Godley

The appointment of Dr. E. J. Godley, at present Director of the Crop Research Division at Lincoln, as Director of the Botany Division (for which new buildings

will be built at Lincoln) was announced yesterday by the Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr R. M. Algie) in Christchurch.

Mr C. M. Smith, who has been Director of the Botany Division since 1951 and has had headquarters in Christchurch since 1954, will retire at the end of December.

Dr. Godley was educated at the Takapuna Grammar School and at the University of Auckland, where he graduated bachelor of

science in 1940 and won a University Senior Scholarship in Botany. The next year he completed his master of science degree with honours in botany and was awarded the Duffus Lubecki Research Scholarship. In that year he entered the armed forces and had service in Italy in the 7th Anti-tank Regiment.

On demobilisation, Dr. Godley went to Cambridge University where he studied plant genetics and cytology and was awarded the doctorate in philosophy in 1947. Dr. Godley became lecturer in genetics in the botany department of the University of Auckland on his return to New Zealand. He joined the Crop Research Division in 1952. and in 1953 was appointed director. His own special field is the reproductive systems of New Zealand native plants.

Mr A. J. Healy will continue as assistant director of the Botany Division. His early research was mainly on weeds, particularly nassella tussock, on which he has written a special bulletin. He has also been concerned with soil conservation and erosion control problems. Mr Healy’s recent work has been related to the identification and taxonomy of introduced plants and, as the recognised New Zealand authority in this field, he ihas been given the task of revising Allan's "Handbook of Naturalised Flora of New Zealand.’’