THE YALE TELESCOPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18995, 17 October 1923, Page 4

THE YALE TELESCOPE.

CAP.REHRAAI AM) KERRY. FURTHER INFORMATION AWAITED. • \ general staletncni as in the present position of the offer from Yale University of a high-grade telescope to Xew Zealand "as made at the close of the meeting of tile Astronomical Branch of the Otago Institute at the Museum last evening. At the rei|ilesl of the chairman. Professor I). R. While, Mr J. ('. liegg explained the position.

•Mr ,I’egg said that most of those interested in astronomy were aware that the project which was on foot to acquire (he Yale telescope for Xew Zealand had taken a (urn different, from what had been anticipated. 'I hey had heard from (lie Mayor of Auckland that an arrangement had been' made between .Auckland city and Yale v idversity to have the Yale telescope creeled In Auckland. That was rather a surprise to them here as negotiations hail keen taking plaee between the Xew Zealand Astronomical Society and Yale to have different sites (esteil so (hid the instrument might In* placed in the most favourable position. A cablegram was sent to Vale by the New Zealand Astronomical Society, and he would read it so that the position might he clearly understood. It was as follows:—“Alleged closed arrangement with Auckland hindering our sitetesting operations. Kindly cable confirmation or denial. Sufficient funds -available in south for buildings. Urge visit Xew Zealand before deciding.’’ Thai cablegram was sent, because it: was fell that it wotdd lie almost in the nature of a disaster if an observatory which was probably destined to become the nucleus of a national observatory should be m this precipitate manner placed in a situation which had not been thoroughly tested and proved to ho suitable, Iho reply was (o this effect,; “Auckland arrangement confirmed. Letter follows." It was not perfectly clear from, that, that a. closed contract, existed lief wen Auckland and Yale, but, the suggestion certainly was that, things were well on towards • finality in the matter of arrangements between Yale and Auckland. However, a letter was no doubt at the present, time on route from Vale to Xew Zealand, and ho did not think if desirable or necessary to say anything further in regard to their procedure until that letter arrived. They must just leave, it at that, till the letter came to hand. Professor White added that neither the X'ew Zealand Astronomical Society nor (heir own branch proposed to fake any action at present until ihey heard the terms of the letter from "Yale University. It had boon suggested that Olago might have been remiss in her efforts, and in reply to that he would just say that knowing the whole of the negotiations from the first, there was no one in Xew Zealand who had been more actively interested or who had done more in order to secure the Yale offer than Air Bogg.—(“Hoar, hoar,’’ and applause.)