Astronomer’s autobiography an ‘adventure story’

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 17

Astronomer’s autobiography an ‘adventure story’

By

CULLEN SMITH

From the world of banking to the high-tech field of astrophysics, a New Zealander, Dr Frank Bateson, has seen it all.

The internationally known astronomer has now compiled his experiences from a life of adventure with a 30-chapter autobiography, “Paradise Beckons.” Dr Bateson has contributed a monthly column on astronomy to “The Press” since 1963. But the book, his first, is not dedicated to the stars. It covers a history from Dr Bateson’s school days in Sydney to his work in founding the University of Canterbury’s Mount John Observatory and the Black Birch satellite tracking station in Marlborough. Dr Bateson recalls his 16 years in the Cook Islands, his period as a member of the Cook Islands General Assembly, and war service with the Royal New Zealand Navy. He was in Christchurch yesterday to promote his book and said his stories encompassed a life many people often only dreamt about.

“It’s not meant to be serious. It’s meant to be a readable adventure story,” he said. Prompting from overseas colleagues led to the book which covers many diverse and interesting subjects while divulging little nown facts about New Zealand’s history. Dr Bateson, aged 79, was born in Wellington and completed his schooling in Sydney where he developed a life-long love of astronomy. “As often happens with astronomy, I became what we call a part-time astronomer or a serious amateur. In other words an amateur doing observations of a professional nature,” he said. He was rejected by the Navy as unfit for overseas service but later rose through the ranks. Dr Bateson was working as an accountant with the Northland Harbour Board at Whangarei during the early war years, but was acting as the naval repre-

sentative. He was asked to join up and told the officers of his earlier rejection. But that was no barrier. After seven days basic training at H.M.N.Z.S. Philomel, the shore fleet support establishment in Auckland, Dr Bateson was posted back to Whangarei as an ordinary seaman. “The next day I was promoted to able seaman, on the third day I was a leading seaman, on the fourth day, petty officer, on the fifth day I was chief petty officer in charge of the naval auxiliary patrol service and the day after that I was chief petty officer in charge of the Whangarei Naval District,” he said. At the end of World War II he accepted a job as manager of the Cook Islands company, A. B. Donald, Ltd, and later transferred to the Cook Islands Trading Company, of which he was to become a director. His move to the islands

with his wife, Doris, inspired the name of his autobiography. But it is Dr Bateson’s work in establishing New Zealand’s first observatory at Mount John for which he is perhaps best known. “Somewhere I formed the dream that one day I would be instrumental in getting a professional observatory established in New Zealand, so that the young people would have an opportunity to study astronomy and astrophysics at a university,” he said. The chance came while Dr Bateson was working in the Cook Islands. Astronomers overseas knew he wanted to develop his work and persuaded him to write to the International Astronomical Union seeking to borrow a surplus telescope. Pennsylvania University offered an 18in refractor. “I pointed out this was hardly a thing you kept in your backyard. It required a very large build-

ing which was far beyond my means.” After a tour of the United States and long negotiations, the telescope became the nucleus for the Mount John Observatory. Dr Bateson was asked to conduct site studies in New Zealand and took charge of the project. Later he was involved in helping to establish the Black. Birch site. Dr Bateson said Canterbury University had done “a magnificent job” in developing Mount John. “It’s now become an observatory of world class. Canterbury has turned out a large number of very well qualified graduates, some of whom have become prominent astronomers overseas.” Dr Bateson, who has an honorary doctorate from Waikato University and was honoured by the Queen with an 0.8. E., intends to continue his work specialising in variable stars.