ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 19292, 10 July 1924, Page 4

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr A. Noble has left on a visit to Christ church. Mr D. W. McKay left on Tuesday on a visit, to Christchurch. Mr John Kennedy, Fortification Station, has returned from a visit to Christchurch. Dr D. McKibbin, medical officer in charge of Otago district, arrived by the mid-day express yesterday, and is staying at the Grand. Mr E. W. Burton, S.M., Auckland, died on Monday from heart failure (says a .Press Association message). Mr Burton was at one time Stipendiary Magistrate in Central Otago and South Otago. Mr and Mrs Dudley Marshall, of East Gore, were the recipients on Saturday afternoon of a handsome travelling rug and a pipe from their Gore friends prior to their departure for California, where they intend to reside. Mr H. E. Longworth, chief physical instructor to the Department, of Education, arrived in Invercargill by Tuesday night’s express, and is visiting the local primary schools. He returns north by the mid-<lay express on Friday. Mr Frank Rolleston, M.P. for Tnnaru, who Is ill in a private hospital at Wellington, is making good progress towards recovery, telegraphs the Wellington correspondent of the Southland Times. He caught a severe chill and steps were taken successfully to ward off pneumonia. Professor Adams, the well-known educationist, will arrive at Auckland by the Makura from Vancouver on July 21, and will leave three days later for Sydbaey. He will return to New Zealand on August 18, leaving for America in the first week of September, telegraphs the Wellington correspondent of the Southland Times. Mr F. H. Francis, who has occupied the position of postmaster of Roxburgh for the past four years was tendered a public social last Friday prior to his departure for Otautau, to which office he has been transferred. During his residence in Roxburgh he was always a most obliging and courteous officer, and the large attendance at the social testified to his great popularity. He was the recipient of presentations from the public, the bowling and golf clubs, as well as from the office staff. Mrs Francis also received a presentation from the congregation of St. James’s Church. Mr Francis’s successor, Mr Lenihan, who was present, was welcomed to the district The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, has presented to Sir Ernest Rutherford, of Cambridge University, the Franklin Medal and certificate in recognition of his discovery of the principle of radio-activity. Sir Ernest Rutherford, who was born in New Zealand 52 years ago, was last year the president of the British Association. “All the world (says the Daily Chronicle) credits him with having solved the secret—so far as it can be solved—of electricity and radioactivity. Electricity is not a ‘fluid’ nor a ‘juice’; it is atomic. A million atoms in a row would not form a line as long as the thickness of a cigarette paper; yet each of these atoms is a solar system, having an infinitesimal ‘sun* as nucleus, and with countless planetary electrons whirling around it. In radio-activity the atoms break up, and power immeasurable is evolved from the changes in the infinitely small. That is the theory, in unscientific terms, of the mighty atom, the ‘Rutherfc * atom.’ ”