RADIO RESEARCH

Evening Star, Issue 22573, 15 February 1937, Page 8

RADIO RESEARCH

N.Z.'S COMPLEX ELECTRICAL CONDITIONS GOOD WORK TO BE PURSUED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 15. Professor F. W. G. White, a young New Zealander, arrived by the Wanganella to take up the chair of physics at Canterbury University College. In an interview he referred, to the proposal arising out of the recent Science Congress at Auckland that there should be a Radio Research Board in New Zealand. Professor White was one of the suggested personnel. , Radio research boards, he said, had been in existence in England and Australia for some years, and under their guidance much valuable scientific knowledge had accumulated. There was at present some excellent work in New Zealand worthy of support, one example being that of Mr G. A. Peddle of Victoria University College. He had been studying the electrical regions of the upper atmosphere, which are vitally concerned in the propagation of the wireless waves which come to us oyer long distances. A study of these regions was an important part of the research programmes of radio research boards in England and) Australia, and it had been found that in these countries there were only two main electrified regions. Mr Peddie had found that electrical conditions over New, Zealand were more complex, and had identified a lower region of electrification which had not been observed in Australia. The presence of these more complex regions in our atmosphere must considerably affect the reception of wireless signals from overseas, and also waves sent out from our stations. The New Zealand Radio Research Board could rely upon the co-opera-tion of similar boards in England and Australia, and such co-operatipn would be of immense value if New Zealand was to assist in the solution of the problems encountered in interempire communications. He knew that the engineers of the British Post Office were very anxious that New Zealand should collect data of a scientific nature in the Southern Hemisphere which would help them in their en - deavours to establish more satisfactory commercial and broadcasting services to the dominions. .

It was obvious that all the assistance New Zealand could give in this problem - would ultimately be to our advantage, and might prove of the utmost importance in times of crisis. Professor White is accompanied by his wife, who has taken her M.D. degree in London, and has made a special study of puerperal fever.