CANCER OBSERVATORY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 January 1939, Page 5

CANCER OBSERVATORY

PERSONNEL OF BOARD. [PEB PBEBS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. January 19. The personnel of the Carter Observatory Board, appointed under the Carter Observatory Act. 1938, which provides foi’ the establishment of a national astronomical observatory for New Zealand at Wellington, was announced by the Minister for Scientific and Industrial Research (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) to-night. It will be: —

Representing the Royal Society of New Zealand—Dr. E. Kidson, Director of the Meteorological Office; Mr C. G. G. Berry, a. member of the astronomical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society and the New Zealand Astronomical Society; representing the Wellington. City Council, Mr E. P. Norman, the Town Clerk, Mr M. F. F. Luckie, solicitor; representing the Government, Professor D. C. H. Florence, Professor of Physics of Victoria University College, Mr M. Geddes, director of the auroral and zodiacal light section of the New Zealand Astronomical Society. Dr. C. E. Adams, formerly Government Astronomer and president of the New Zealand Astronomical Society. Dr. F. Marsden. Secretary of the Department. of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mr Charles Rooking Carter, who died on July 22. 1896, envisaged the establishment of a national astronomical observatory for New Zeaalnd and left to the council of the New Zealand Institute, now the- Royal Society’’ of New Zealand, as trustees of his residuary estate, certain moneys io form rhe nucleus of a fund for the establishment in Wellington of such an observatory, Mr Sullivan said. The council of the society, realising thajf ihe amount involved was not adequate for the desired purpose, invested the moneys, and allowed them to accumulate until a sufficient, sum was available for the object in view. Last year a. conference was held of interested bodies, the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Wellington City Council, and the Government, with the- result that the Government was approached with a. request that enabling legislation be placed on the Statute Book. r l’he Carter Observatory Act was passed by Parliament in September, 1938. The Minister said the initial meeting of the board would be held soon.