SCIENTIST AND CURATOR

Southland Times, Issue 23838, 8 June 1939, Page 4

SCIENTIST AND CURATOR

Dunedin Professor’s Work DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF SIR WILLIAM BENHAM (Special to The Times) DUNEDIN, June 7. Sir William Benham, K.8.E., who has had a distinguished career in the world of science, was professor of biology at the University of Otago and curator of the Otago Museum from 1898 until 1937. < In addition to the general course of biology, which in those days included a fair amount of botany and zoology, he gave a course in palaeontology, or the anatomy of extinct creatures, until 1911 when it was taken over by the Department of Geology. He also gave a course in dental anatomy from the establishment of the dental •school in 1907 till 1924. In 1913 at the request of certain students Sir William instituted a course of botany up to honours stage and he carried this on until 1917. All his teaching work was carried on in addition to his duties as curator of the museum. Sir William has had published more than 100 papers and articles on zoological subjects in various journals and the transactions of scientific societies in England, Australia and New Zealand, the subjects varying from the brain of the chimpanzee to earth and marine worms. He was awarded the Hutton Memorial Medal in 1911 and the Hector Medal and Prize in 1935 and he received the Coronation Medal in 1937. A member of the New Zealand University Senate for several years and of the board of studies until 1926, he was also a member of the Otago University Council as representative of the Professorial Board for 16 years. He was president of the New Zealand Institute in 1917-18. He was also president of die New Zealand Eugenics Society till its death in 1914 and he was a member of the council of the London Eugenics Society. SIR THOMAS HUNTER, K.B.E. (Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, June 7. As vice-chancellor of the University of New Zealand, a position which he has held since 1929, Sir Thomas Hunter, K.8.E., is executive head of the university. He is also principal of Victoria University College, Wellington, a recently-created post, and has been professor of mental and moral philosophy at Victoria College for many years. Bom in London in 1876, Sir Thomas Hunter came to New Zealand at an early age and was educated at the Port Chalmers High School and the University of Otago where he graduated bachelor of arts in 1898. In the same year he was awarded the University of New Zealand senior scholarship in mental science. He graduated master of arts with first-class honours in mental science in 1899, bachelor of science in 1903 and master of science in 1904. He was appointed senior house master and assistant master at Waitaki Boys’ High School in 1899 and in. 1904 he became lecturer in mental science and economics at Victoria College, Wellington. In 1907 he was appointed professor of philosophy and economics and on the establishment of a separate department of economics in 1909 he continued as professor of philosophy, a position which he still holds. He has been a member of the Victoria University College Council since 1920 and was chairman of the Professorial Board in 1911, 1912, 1920 and 1921. A member of the council of Massey Agricultural College, Palmerston North, from 1923 until recently, he served as its chairman for more than two years. He became a member of the senate of the University of New Zealand in 1912 and vice-chancellor in 1929. Sir Thomas has taken keen interest in adult education. He was president of the Workers’ Educational Association from 1916 to 1919 and was director of the tutorial classes from 1924 to 1929. He is chairman of the Council of Adult Education set up some time ago by the Government, and he has been president since its inception more than four years ago of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. The author of many pamphlets and articles in periodicals on philosophical, educational, economic, political and allied subjects, Sir Thomas has been a member of the international committee of the Congress of Psychology since 1929 and was president of the Australasian Asssociation of Psychology and Philosophy in 1927. COLONEL W. D. HOLGATE, 0.8. E. (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 7. A conspicuous part in the development of coal mining in the Auckland province has been played by Colonel W. D. Holgate, 0.8. E., of Auckland. His interest in coal mining began with the Taupiri Coal Company and extended to the Hikurangi Coal Company of which he was managing director for 22 years. Since 1926 he has been president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association and he is at present chairman of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company Limited and a director of many other concerns. Colonel Holgate was born in Yorkshire in 1862 and came to New Zealand in 1890 after having spent some years in Victoria where he was prominent in , military circles. He pioneered the, mounted rifles movement in Auckland, being captain of the first corps and colonel of the first regiment. MR FRANK REED, M.B.E. (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 7. A prominent mining engineer, Mr Frank Reed, M.8.E., who lives in retirement in Auckland has a professional record extending over 59 years. Mr Reed came to New Zealand early in 1885 and was appointed manager of the newly-formed Mokihinui Coal Company on the Buller coal field. He later discovered and took up for himself and some friends the area now known as the Seddonville coal field. In 1891 he went to Western Australia and was appointed engineer in the Public Works Department. He developed the first coal mine in that State and also discovered the first artesian water in Western Australia for which he was I specially thanked by the Government. On the discovery of the Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie gold fields Mr Reed was appointed the first West Australian Government inspector of mines for the central gold fields. He was subsequently Government mining engineer until he resigned in 1898 to become general manager of the then famous Peak Hill Goldfield Company Limited. In 1901 Mr Reed was appointed general manager of Doric Gold Mines Limited, Colorado, and four years later he came to New Zealand as inspecting engineer to the Mines Department, a post to which was subsequently added those of ,

consulting engineer to the State collieries and Chief Inspector of Coal Mines.

Mr Reed was a member of the New Zealand Royal Commission on Mines in 1911. He retired hi 1922, and in 1937 the Government awarded him a special grant of £5OO for distinguished services to the mining industry. Mr Reed holds many professional qualifications. His only son, Lieutenant P. F. H. Reed, M.C., was killed in action in France in 1918. , I - MR H. T. MITCHELL, C.M.G. (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 7. One of the best known Maoris in New Zealand, Mr Henry Tai Mitchell, C.M.G., has for years played a prominent part in native affairs in the Bay of Plenty district. After spending many years as a surveyor first with the Lands and Survey Department and later on his own account, he joined the Native Department in 1926 as judge’s assistant [ and consolidation officer and since the inception of the Arawa District Trust Board he has been chairman. He has also identified himself with the preservation of natural scenery in the Rotorua lake district‘and has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his race. He has been a member of the Rotorua Borough Council for the last three terms. In sport Mr Mitchell was formerly a Rotorua and Thames Rugby and Association football representative. He was the first secretary of the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union and also for many years secretary of the Rotorua Sub-Union. At present he is president of the Bay of Plenty Sub-Union. CAPTAIN D. NICOL, M.B.E. (Special to The Times) CHRISTCHURCH, June 7. Captain David Nicol, M.8.E., has sinct 1934 occupied the dual position of Ordnance Officer, Southern Military District, and Officer-in-Charge, Burnham Military Camp. He was born at Cathcart, Scotland, in 1891, and as a young man served with the 145th Field Battery of the Territorial Army (Scottish), coming to New Zealand in 1912. Captain Nicol was in ill-health at the beginning of the Great War, but enlisted in the 7th Reinforcements. He joined the New Zealand Ordnance Corps in 1918 and until 1934 was stationed at the Trentham military camp. He was transferred to Burnham in his present dual position in 1934. ENGINEER A. J. LEE, M.B.E. Long service with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy has marked the career of Commissioned Engineer A. J. Lee, M.8.E., engineer officer of H.M.S. Philomel and assistant manager of the Devonport Naval Base and repair dockyard. He entered the Royal Navy in 1915 and saw active service in the old Leander and in the destroyers Sylvia and Marmion with the grand fleet. He first came to New Zealand as a member of the crew which brought H.M.S. Chatham to New Zealand it 192 L