HONOUR FOR A NELSON COLLEGE OLD BOY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 March 1937, Page 4

HONOUR FOR A NELSON COLLEGE OLD BOY

NELSONIANS will have been particularly interested in the election of the Rev. Dr. John Ernest Holloway, an Old Boy of Nelson College, as a Fellow of the Royal Society. As is well known the Royal Society is the oldest scientific society in the British Empire. It was founded in 1660, and it is interesting to note that Samuel Pepys, of Pepys diary, was one of the early secretaries, and that Sir Isaac Newton was elected in 1671, and was President from 1703 to 1727. Newton's principia which revolutionised the world’s outlook on mechanics was published by the Society in 1686. Sir Joseoh Banks, botanist of Cook s first voyage, was also a member for a long period. He fitted out the ship Endeavour at his own expense for Captain Cook’s first voyage, and Banks Peninsula now bears his name. Lord Rutherford of Nelson was President from 1925 to 1930. Only 15 members are elected annually from the whole of the British Empire. As stated in yesterday’s issue Dr. Holloway appears to be the only New Zealander born in New Zealand who has been elected a F.R.S. for research work carried out in New Zealand. It is also of special interest that his botanical researches have been particularly devoted to the elucidation of the life history of the lower forms of plant life such as the filmy ferns and the lycopodiums, as published in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute in 1907. This work was suggested to him by Professor A. P. W. Thomas, the oldest surviving member of the original Auckland University professors, who is now over eighty years of age, and who has been able to count among his pupils many who have met with conspicuous success in botany, zoology or geology. Dr. Holloway is lecturer in botany at Otago University College, and it seems strange that there is a lectureship only for such work, considering the importance of the New Zealand bush.