POLAR RESEARCH WORK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1149, 9 June 1911, Page 5

POLAR RESEARCH WORK.

OFFER OF MAGNETIC INSTRUMENTS

By TeloEraph—Press Association-Copyrlsh! Melbourne, June 8. The director of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institute, nt Washington, has offered the loan of a complete set of magnetic instruments for the Mawson Antarctic Expedition. The offer is conditional oil Dr. Mawson securing tho services of Mr. Norman Webb, Christchurch, or some other competent person. A CANTERBURY COLLEGE STUDENT (By Telecrapli.—Special Correspondent.! Christchurch, June 8. Mr. Eric Norman AVebb, who has been suggested by Dr. Bauer, of the Carnegie Institution, as the most suitable man to undertako the magnetic survey work for the Mawson Antarctic Expedition, is only twenty-one years of age. Ho was born in New Zealand, and received his education entirely in Canterbury, at first at the Lyttelton Main School, and, later, for three years, at the Lyttelton District High School. After leaving there, he taught, in the primary schools for two years before going on to the university. He has been a student at Canterbury College for tho past three and a half years, and has obtained his diploma and ass-ociateship of civil engineering. Mr. AVebb, seen by, a "Press" representative this morning, said that the cable message was not altogether a surprise to him, as he had seen Dr. Bauer, when he was in Christchurch, and the doctor had told him that he had been appointed by Dr. Mawson, who desired the sorvi'fces of a magnetic observer for the expedition, and asked that the institution would lend him one. The, institution had no observer available, and Dr. Bauer had mentioned to Dr. Mawson that he (Mr. AVebb) v:as a suitable man. Dr. Mawson seems to have fallen in with the suggestion. Tho whole matter arose (Mr. AVebb thought) through his having assisted Air. 11. &. Skey, of the Christchurch Observatory, at Am her ley, in making some observations at tho lime of tho eclipse of the sun.