LATE DR CHILTON

Evening Star, Issue 20316, 26 October 1929, Page 20

LATE DR CHILTON

A REMARKABLE CAREER (Special to thb ‘ Star.’] . CHRISTCHURCH. October 25. Dr Charles Chilton,. M.A., D.Sc., whose death from pneumonia occurred to-day, took a very live interest in educational and scientific work, and of late years he had been particularly prominent in connection with town planning and beautifying work. He was the first rector of Canterbury College, being appointed in 1922, and holding the position for six years. Dr Chilton took a great interest in W.E.A. work, and the Christchurch branch has benefited considerably by his counsel and advice. As a writer of scientific subjects his main theme was zoology, and liis papers on subterranean and subAntarctic forms of Crustacea are very highly regarded in the scientific world. Of late years, he took a keen interest in the artesian water supplies of Christchurch, and has issued pamphlets on the subject. Dr Chilton was born at Leominster, Hereford; England, in 1860. He attended Eyreton, Papanui, _ and West Christchurch Schools, and in 1878 entered Canterbury College on a junior university scholarship that was the first of a long line of academic honours. In 1879 the young student was exhibitioner and senior university scholar in_ mathematics. In 1880 he was exhibitioner in natural science, and senior scholar In English, physics, and natural science. In 1880 he also graduated 8.A., and in 1881 M.A., with first-class honours in zoology. From 1881 to 1883 he was on the staff of the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and from 1883 to 1886 on the staff of the West Christchurch School. In 1887 he graduated. M.Sc. from the University of Otago, being the first student in New Zealand to take this degree. There followed a period of tutoring at the Dunedin Teachers’ Training College, and from 1888 until 1895 Dr Chilton Was rector of the Port Chalmers District High School. He took his D.Sc. in 1893, being again the first in New Zealand to obtain the degree. From 1895 until 1898 he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating M.8.C.M., with honours. \n Edinburgh research fellowship in biology occupied his next few. years, but in 1899 and 1900 he was studying diseases of the eye in Heidelberg, Vienna, and London. Tn 1901 he returned to Christchurch, and began to practise as an ophthalmic surgeon; but he went back to Canterbury College in 1902 as acting professor of and from 1903 until his retirement last year he was professor of biology.