A PROFESSOR FROM M'GILL

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 179, 31 July 1907, Page 3

A PROFESSOR FROM M'GILL

FAME OF A NEW ZEALAND

SCIENTIST.

RUTHERFORD "THE COMING

LORD KELVIN."

Dr. Stephen Leacock, who is professor of political science at the McGill University, Montreal, arrived in the Colony last week. He has obtained leave of absence, and is on a tour of the British Empire, for the purpose of studying colonial government and questions of Imperial significance. He is particularly interested in the questions of Imperial defence and trade within the Empire. As an author, Dr Leacock, though still a young man, with many years of work in him, is already distinguished. One of his books, " The Elements of Political Science," is well known in the universities of the United States, though onlypublished 18 months ago. He is also known as the author of a standard Canadian work, "Baldwin and La Fontaine." Baldwin and LaFontaine were the men who held the first joint French and English Premiership of the country. Dr Leacock has written a great deal on political science and kindred subjects in newspapers. He is evidently a- very shrewd observer of men and things, original even in his way of observing, and decidedly original and quaint in his expression of conclusions arrived at.

The professor started on his present mission in Canada ,and then went to London. From London he travelled to West Australia, where he spent some three weeks studying the political situation" in that State. He will remain in New Zealand for six weeksi then spend three months in the other Australian States, and finally three months in South Africa. After these journeyings he will be in a position to write books on " The Outer Empire." Professor Leacock may deliver addresses in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland.*

Speaking of West Australia, he said he round on all sides a feeling of sincere regret at having entered the federation. Botjft sides cf, tha Parliament ,and nearly all sections of public opinion were united in the feeling that the federation was premature, and that West Australia had been sacrificed upon the altar of Continentalism. The advocates of federation urged at the time that a transcontinental railroad would be built, as one of the first fruits of union. This was not made an item in the bargain, but it was spoken of as an inevitable result, but it was now,seeh taat the prospects of building a railway are very remote. Nevertheless, the professor does not think there is any real danger of secession. " Tell me something about-Ruther-ford," said the interviewer.

".Of course," was the reply, "I know Rutherford very well. I worked j with him at the McGill University for six years, although we were in different faculties. Rutherford is a briliant fellow, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will be the Lord Kelvin of. the coming generation. He was too, big a fish for us, and he swam away.' We would have given him as much money as anyone else, but for him it was not a question or money, but of being in the centre of things. All tho American universities know him well. Yale tempted him with a large sum, and I know that for the past three or four years several of the big American universities endeavoured to entice him away from McGill, but they could not do so, and he has gone to Manchester; The real truth of the matier is that, in physical science: the English have been making such tremendous advances within the last 10 years that England is.tioly the centre of things in Rutherford's line. The centre used to be : on the American side of the water, or, at all events, the best opportunities for studying physical science were tnere, also probably the best men. With the awakening in Manchester and Birmingham, and the semi-techni-cal university education throughout .England, all that has been changed, sothere is no doubt that Rutherford has done the right thing."