Wildlife Research Post

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30808, 21 July 1965, Page 16

Wildlife Research Post

Mr G. R. Williams, who is lecturer in ecology and zoology at Lincoln College, will take up a new position as head of the research section of the Wildlife Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs at the beginning of September In his new post Mr Williams will have the responsibility of co-ordinating and directing the research work which is being done by the

biologists of the Wildlife Branch of the department. Their work is primarily concerned with the study of the ecology and conservation of native animals and some game birds. Mr Williams was a biologist with the Wildlife Branch before he joined the staff of Lincoln College just over five years ago. ... . Born in South Africa he gained an honours bachelor of science degree at Sydney University in 1942 and a master’s degree at Victoria in 1955. He is now completing his thesis for a doctorate of philosophy from Canterbury University.

For two years from 1951 to 1953 he was at the Bureau of Animal Population at Oxford University and at the end of 1963 he spent a few months at the department of natural history at the University of Aberdeen. Mr Williams’s particular interest is in animal populations and he is also interested in the conservation of species for scientific, sentimental or aesthetic reasons. Until Mr Williams joined the staff at Lincoln, ecology had never been taught as a separate unit at a university in New Zealand. Mr Williams has carried out a biological survey of Pitcairn Island and was one of the leaders of the New Zealand Ornithological Society’s expedition to Raoul Island last year. It lasted only about 72 hours because of a volcanic eruption. He has written a book on New Zealand birds which was published in 1963 and with Mr and Mrs Ken Bigwood he made a series of records of New Zealand bird songs. Cyclist Injured.—Mr R. F. Harvey, of 73 Grafton street, suffered leg injuries when his cycle and a car collided in Moorhouse avenue near the gasworks about 8 a m. yesterday He was treated at the Christchurch Hospital and discharged.