Errors ‘Shrugged Off' By Physicists

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 48

Errors ‘Shrugged Off' By Physicists

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 9

“I am rather surprised at the casual way in which the three Canterbury University physicists have shrugged off the errors I have pointed out in their argument against Omega, as if they were of no real importance,” Nicholas Turner said in Wellington today.

Mr Turner is a free-lance journalist who recently wrote a. report on the Omega controversy. i Three members of the staff of the physics department of the University of Canterbury, Dr D. R. Hutton, Mr G. L. Austin, and Mr P. A. G. Howell, replied to the report. “If the same kind of errors were made by the Government these gentlemen would quite rightly be talking about the ‘credibility gap’,” Mr Tunner said. “Does it not occur to Dr Huttor, Mr Austin and Mr Howell that they have created their own credibility gap, and that this affects not only their entire case against Omega but also the credibility of other academic scientists engaging in public debate? I suggest this is not something they should dismiss so lightly. “As for their claim that they have simply sought information by studying ‘the relevant documentation,’ one of the points emerging from my inquiry was that the critics have tended to regard as

‘relevant’ only the very few documents that could be construed as supporting their particular viewpoint

Hello, Everybody— Last year the North Canterbury Centre of the Red Cross Society spent $27,871 on purely local relief in Christchurch and contributed $19,000 to overseas projects. L. B. Johnson, former President of the United States, said: “We have all come to look upon the Red Cross as an agency that will always be there when we need it. I certainly hope that we will also realise that it will be there when we. need it only if we join together to sustain it.” Our House to House appeal for funds will be held on Saturday, May 24, and we would be pleased to hear from anyone willing to assist with the collection. “If you help, Red Cross can help.” Best Wishes Red Cross. —Advt