OBITUARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 February 1934, Page 2

OBITUARY

PROFESSOR SOMERVILLE. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, January 31. The death occurred suddenly this morning at his residence, Titahi Bay, Wellington, of Professor Duncan McLaren Young Somerville, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., F.R.A.S., F.N.Z. Inst., Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics at Victoria University College. Although Professor Somerville had been in somewhat indifferent health for some time, his death came with tragic suddenness. Only yesterday he was at College in his usual good spirits, arranging work for the coming session. Dr. Somerville was a mathematician of exceptional ability, with an international reputation. He was a man of exceedingly modest and retiring disposition, almost verging on shyness. He was never one to enter the public limelight in any degree, but the depth, originality and sheer brilliance of his work in the realm of mathematics during the past 30 years is testified by a large number of published works enjoying a world-wide publication, which he leaves behind him. At present he has another book in the press Dr. Somerville was a man of many interests, and took a keen interest in W.E.A. work, and was Chairman of the Tutoral Class Committee. He was gifted with the brush, and he exhibited frequently at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. He was a skilled handcraftsman, and skilled in bookbinding, and was Chairman of the Library Committee for many years. He possessed a fine literary taste, and was interested in astronomy, being a. Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and contributed, numerous papers to scientific journals on the subject. He leaves a widow.