SCIENCE CONGRESS

Northern Advocate, 22 May 1929, Page 5

SCIENCE CONGRESS

PACIFIC SUBJECTS.

PRIMITIVE RACES DISCUSSED

(United Service.) (Received 12.32 p.m.)

WELTEVREDEN, May 21

The Pacific Science Congress members visited Bandoeng and various institutes of scientific interest and made air trips. Professor Vanhan Lawson Marshall, of New Zealand, discussed the measuring of the gravitation of the Pacific. Dr. Matsuyama talked about the application of modern methods for volcanological research. In the ethnological section, Professor Radcliffe Brown debated Totemism, first from the historical and second from .the functional standpoint, the latter pointing out that the conclusions of noted facts for the government of primitive people were of the utmost interest.

Professor Park, from Chicago, read about the cross-breeding of the races of America.

Professor Burkitt, from Sydney, read a paper of Sir Herbert Murray, Papuan Governor, about the response of Papuan natives to Western civilisation, in which he pointed out that the natives have to accept Western civilisation or go down. The writer, who treated the subject from the Western and from the native angle, voiced humane views, and came to optimistic conclusions, one of the points in favour of Western influence, according to Sir Herbert Murray, being the ridding natives from their mortal fear of malevolent ghosts and sorcery.