"Electronic Computers Needed In New Zealand”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29219, 1 June 1960, Page 14

"Electronic Computers Needed In New Zealand”

New Zealand’s lack of electronic computers as a major tool in research and all other fields of calculation was emphasised to Mr F. M. Henderson, a senior lecturer in civil engineering at the University of Canterbury, during the data processing conference of the Australian national committee on Computation and Automatic Control, from which he has just returned. There were more than 500 delegates in Sydney and 141 papers were given, Mr Henderson said last evening. This indicated the enormous interest in and importance of the new processes. It was the first major conference in this part of the world on the applications of these high-speed electronic “brains.” Mr Henderson learned to use computers about two years ago while he was a visiting lecturer at the University of Michigan. Since his return he has been working on engineering problems suitable for computers and he delivered a paper in Sydney on their use to solve fluid flow problems in the design of dams. “It is ironical,” he said, “that my trip to the United States gave me a ‘constructive discontent’ about our shortcomings in New Zealand and that this week’s bequest of £200,000 to our university for travelling scholarships will create more—yet a computer can be bought for £10,000.” Tremendous Range

Mr Henderson said the conference emphasised that tremendous range of problems being tackled with computers in Australia. They had been used on the Snowy river scheme where engineers estimated that they had saved £1.000.000 by more economical designs, quite apart from the tre-

mendous saving in time on calculations. Computers were being used on the rocket range at Woomera. Scientists were using them to probe atomic structure. They were being used in business for costing and tax computation. The Sydney Gas Company had its own for accounting and for planning gas production. On one job alone the computer saved the company £lOO,OOO. The New Zealand Treasury was getting the first computer in New Zealand and it was understood

that it would be available to some other departments. Mr Henderson said Australia had 16 and was rapidly getting more, including one of the biggest and fastest models made

New Zealand had need right now for computers They would be invaluable in engineering, fn many branches of science, and particularly in the statistical work of many research units. Mr Henderson said the presence of a computer would generate more

and more uses for it as in Aus. tralia.

There were many people in New Zealand positively requiring the use of computers, Mr Henderson said. The vice-chancellor (Dr. F. J. Llewellyn) had recently spoken to businessmen of the need in Canterbury. There was a real danger that, lacking this equipment, lively brains would go overseas.

"It may be that the cost and complexity of these electronic brains had made' New Zealanders think they are not for us,” Mr Henderson said. “They are needed. They have rapidly passed from the stage of being an electronic marvel to the point where they may be regarded as an essential tool.’’