THE CITY'S WELCOME

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 102, 27 October 1925, Page 6

THE CITY'S WELCOME

TO SIR ERNEST RUTHERFORD

GATHERING IN THE TOWN HALL

"A GREAT. BUT MODEST NEW

ZEALANDER.'

To Sir Ernest and Lady Rutherford the citizens o£ Wellington extended their welcome in warm-hearted manner at the Town Hall to-day.

The Mayor (Mr. C. .13. Norwood) expressed his very great pleasure in welcoming Sir Ernest and Lady Rutherford. Few left their footprints plainly on the sands of lime, never lo bo erased, and doubly the ciiy .welcomed Sir Ernest Rutherford since ho was one who had so left his record and because ho was also a New Zcalunder. His example stood before..New Zealand; an inspiration io New Zealanders; the value of his visit could not be over-estimated. He trusted that their stay in Now Zealand would be a, very happy one. "My words and welcome," said Sir Francis' Bell, "are on behalf of New Zealand." Sir Francis apologised for other members of the. Government who' ■at this time, much as they regretted it, were unable to bo in Wellington to join in the welome to a New Zealander returning as a scientist of the first rank. The world was on the eve of great discoveries, such as were unthought of but few years ago, and of great advancements dependent-upon those discoveries, the- outcome of the work of such men as Sir Ernest Rutherford.

Not alone did tho citizens extend a welcome to Sir Ernest as a scientist of foremost standing, said Councillor G. A. Troup, but they welcomed him as a man for his own sake, as one who had shed upon New Zealand a reflected glory, and as one who had.set an example and given New Zealand an inspiration. In that regard alone- ho had done a wonderful service for the people of the Dominion. New Zealand, again, was under a debt of gratitude to him for his great assistance in selecting professors and authorities for its universities.

Three centuries had produced three outstanding authorities upon physical science, said Professor 1\ P. Wilson, representing tho authorities of Victoria University College, Newton, Faraday, and Cavendish, and the twentieth century had produced Sir Ernest Kutherford. Wliei'6 was the next to come from? Ho would like people to think . that that next might come from the institution "on the old clay patch up on the hill." Possibly that might not bo so, the institution might not produce one of first magnitude, but among tho students were many working steadily upon small problems from which much might come. Once in each year the students made merry in tho city, continued Professor Wilson, and to many that was college life and activity, but nothing could be further from the truth; that was merely the letting-oft" of steam. There were many among th« students keen, alert, desirous of: following in Sir Ernest's footsteps, and the work they were doing amply justified', the institution' on tho old clay patch.

Lady Rutherford and himself replied Sir Ernest, warmly appreciated the "welcome extended them by the* Mayor, the Government, the citizens, and by the young' people, whom ho was particularly pleased to sec before him. Their welcome was.perhaps not so much a welcome to him personally nor in recognition of the work he had done, for it was not likely that all would, have followed tho work of "grey-whiskered professors of whom you read so much," but rather in appreciation of tho fact that a New Zealander.had been able to hold his own among those of other countries. If he had done so then he was proud of it.

Sir Ernest referred briefly to his school days in Nelson, first at Springrove, at IToxhill, at Havelock, at Nelson College, and Canterbury College. At his first schools he had received, a sound and useful primary education. Nelson College was a good representative high school of that period, thirty years ago, and at Canterbury Collego ono received a very good, first-class education. WELCOME WARMLY APPRECIATED "AVhile, of course, much time had elapsed since then I cannot but feel that the University of Now Zealand is a very flourishing institution; it is young, it is scattered, and it has many defects. The University is a developing institution, and I hope that as the Dominion progresses the University will progress with it."

He had been very closely connected ■with Victoria College, particularly with the study of physics. The first professor was Professor Laby, who was succeeded in the Chair of Physics, on his accepting a chair at the larger University of Melbourne, by Dr. Marsdcn, an old student of his own. Dr. Marsdon, he almost; regretted, had now deserted the field of physics for.the field of applied science, and was followed by Professor Flora nee, a New Zoalander and another worker in his laboratories. Both had made substantial contributions to the world's knowledge, and particularly some of the experimental work of Dr. Marsdon had helped him to form the conception of the atom as held today. Professor l-Moranec had investigated in the old days the penetrating rays of radium, and the work ho then did was largely instrumental in showing that the principles of knowledge .of such rays must lie altered to a very substantial degree. KEEPING ABREAST The Victoria College University now hod very good quarters, and ho only hoped that the city and tho Government would see that fund:; were provided for the development of the University. It had to bo remembered that in a relative]}' small community a university was a great disadvantage in that it Mas to sour, extent isolated; opportunities should bo afforded professors to, visit more populous centres to refresh mind as well as body. ■Sir Hniesfc spoke briefly <° Hie aims of! pure science, of the search for iiinidiimenlal principles without thought, frc'ii tho seirutist, of immediate application, and the search again lor other principles, upon which advancement was really based, lie referred h-Isu In tlie wave of interest in sscientilitf niiitliTX which had swept over England, and of (lie keen ink-rest in research work in industry.

"If wo ;iro tv hold our own in •the struggle of to-morrow it will' be by

applied science. After all, science is merely organised knowledge, and we want to investigate each principle to sec if it cannot bo improved, and there is nothing in the world that cannot bo improved by scientific methods."

Ho again thanked the gathering for its welcome. Hearty applause punctuated the speeches, and at tho conclusion cheers were given for Sir Ernest and Lady Rutherford. Tho singing of tho National Anthem concluded the proceedings..