DO NOT “LEAD A LIFE OF PLEASURE.”

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 July 1938, Page 6

DO NOT “LEAD A LIFE OF PLEASURE.”

NEW ZEALAND STUDENTS Iti ENGLAND. BRILLIANT NEW ZEALANDER GIVES IMPRESSIONS (By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.

The idea sometimes voiced that New Zealanders who went Home to Univer sities learnt to load a life of pleasuie rather than equip themselves for a life of service, was entirely incorrect, said Dr. R. M. Barrer, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Barrer, of Mastcrton, and one of the few New Zealanders to be a “Don” of the University of Cambridge, on his arrival at Wellington to-day by the Awatea. During the long vacation of the academic year he -was taking the opportunity of visiting his parents for the first time since he left New Zealand sis years ago to embark on a brilliant scholastic and athletic career. Students at both Oxford and Cambridge to-day worked hard, he said, and there were any number of excellent openings, particularly for scientific research students. Industrial chemistry offered lucrative careers, while-Govern-ment positions had been created by the tremendous rearmament campain of the British Government, and in consequence there were many openings for young scientists. He himself, however, intended to pursue an academic career. Dr. Barrer, a past pupil of the Wairarapa High School, graduated Master of Science at Canterbury College in 1931 with first-class honours. The same year he was the first nominee of Canterbury College for a Rhodes Scholarship, but was unsuccessful. He was awarded a post-graduate scholarship in science and carried out research work at Canterbury College. In 1032, he was awarded the Charles Cooke Memorial Research Scholarship, for mathematics and kindred subjects, and later in the same year the Sir George Grey Scholarship, and finally the 1851 Exhibition Science Scholarship granted to promising graduates of overseas Universities to enable them to undertake, two to three years of research work under conditions most likely to render them of service to the scientific progress of the British Empire. He left for Cambridge in September, 1932, and subsequently received the degree of D.Sc., from the University of New Zealand. At Cambridge he obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and was elected by the Faculty of Clare College to the Denham Baynes Research Studentship. He was elected member of the Ray Club, founded in 1837. Membership of this club, including associates, is limited to IS selected from the world’s scientific research workers. There have only been two New Zealand members, Lord Rutherford and Dr. Barrer.

When he arrived at Wellington to-day Dr. Barrer war. wearing a pale sky blue scarf, the insignia of a full-Bluo of the Cambridge University. lie obtained his Blue for cross country running. In 1935, he won the Jubilee cross country championship against Oxford and also the combined Universities’ cross country championship. He is a member of a Cambridge athletic club, admission to which is conditional on the breaking of standard times. Dr. Barrer had made a name for himself in long distance running before leaving New Zealand, for he was Canterbury Provincial cross country champion and New Zealand University three miles champion.

Dr. Barrer said Cambridge had a high reputation for scientitle studies. There were splendid facilities for post graduate research and there were some (50 research students reading chemistry, ,10 bio-chemistry and 50 or GO physical science. There were considerable extensions being made to laboratory and library ecjuipmcnt, £500,000 having been recently devoted to enlarging the Cavendish Laboratory. A great deal of addition was being made to University buildings and to many of the colleges. "These additions are as far as possible in keeping with the traditional style of architecture, rather than of the latest modern design,” Dr, Barrer said.