OTAGO UNIVERSITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16873, 9 December 1916, Page 6

OTAGO UNIVERSITY

NEW PROFESSOR OF GEOLOGY. Out of II applicants for aptxiintnient as Professor 01 (ecology at the University of Otago, iri succession to Dr Marshall, who has accepted the rectorship of tne Walijftnui Collegiate .School, the University Council yestefday selected Dr W. IN. Benson, lecturer 011 geology at the Sydney University. * Dr Benson, D.Sc., 8.A., graduated B.Sc. in the University of Sydney, after a brilliant career. After holding positions at the Adelaide and Sydney Universities, lie was awarded two scholarships, and proceeded to Cambridge, where he was awarded an exhibition for advanced research work, which lie held for three years 011 account of the value of his special research work, and the Australian Exhibition Scholarship was also renewed. Dr Benson, when in England, did much penological work under Mr Harkor, and chemical work with Dr Hutchison, and worked in the field with leading Britisli geologists. He also spent a considerable amount of time in Europe, gaining a thorough knowledge of the methods of teaching and the researches of leaders of modern geology. Dr Benson is credited with having carried out a great amount of work of high scientific value —geological, physiographical, petrologieal, and chemical— and with having thrown a new light on many problems of Australian geology. He is said to be a good teacher, a clear lecturer, and his explanation is thorough. One of his sponsors says of him: " Dr Benson comes of an old Quaker family, and has inherited the old-world courtesy and refinement so often root with in such families. I was much struck with the keenness of his intellect and his enthusiasm for research.

. . . I have no hesitation in saying that ho is easily the best-trained and most widely read petrologist in Australia."