FAMOUS SCIENTIST.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17133, 21 June 1927, Page 10

FAMOUS SCIENTIST.

PARENTS HONOURED.

MR. AND MRS. JAS. RUTHERFORD.

A vpr%' happy gathering took place at the Victoria League rooms, New Plymouth, at which Mr and Mrs .Tames Rutherford were the guests of a number of their friends at an afternoon tea party given to mark their recognition of the honour conferred upon Sir Ernest Rutherford upon his installation to the position of President of the Royal Society, and for the purpose of extending congratulations to his parents upon their son’s fine achievement in the w'orld of science.

Among others present were Mr and Mrs James Rutherford, ,jun., of Pungarehu, and Miss Thomson, a niece of Mr and Mrs Rutherford, sen. Mrs W. 11. Skinner presented Mrs Rutherford with a beautiful bouquet. The Mayor, who presided, said it was a very happy idea on the part of some of the friends of Mr and Mrs Rutherford to join together to congratulate them on the election of their son, Sir Ernest, to the presidency of the Royal Society. Most of those present, and many others besides, had the pleasure when Sir Ernest was in New Plymouth of meeting him, and they knew lie was to be the next president of the Royal Society. That was the highest honour that could bo conferred on any man by his brother scientists. Those present recognised that the qualities possessed by Sir Ernest Rutherford, which had won for him this high honour, were derived from his parents, whom they were delighted to see so well and whom they were proud to honour. He asked them to convey to Sir Ernest the congratulations of the townspeople of New Plymouth, and said the gathering was an evidence of the esteem in which he and his parents were held. Mr 11. R. Billing, chairman of the High Schools Board of Governors, joined in extending congratulations to the guests of the afternoon upon the great honour bestowed upon their son on his attainment of the highest position in the world of science. Other honours had been conferred upon him, including the Order o' Merit, which was one of the highest distinctions. It must be gratifying to Mr and Mrs Rutherford to see and bear of Sir Ernest’s success, and to know that what they had been able to do for him and the other members of the family had been so richly repaid. They could not claim that Sir Ernest had had any connection with the High School, though he understood he once procured an appointment on the staff, but, perhaps fortunately for Sir Ernest and the world though unfortunately for the school, other tilings arose which prevented him from taking up the appointment. Archdeacon Evans, in joining in tiie congratulations to the guests on the achievements of their distinguished son, said the friends of Mr and Mrs Rutherford also honoured them for their work as pioneers and for the splendid natures they possessed, lie regarded them as the most lovable people he had ever met. It was a great tiling for any community to have such line people in their district, and it was fitting that they should he honoured on the occasion of the elevation of their son to so high a position in the scientific world.

Mr .T. Rutherford, ou behalf of his parents, thanked the friends for the honour done them and their distinguished son. He paid this tribute to his brother that with all the honours that the world had bestowed upon h'irn he had never neglected the Divine precept to honour his father and mother. The family had been fortunate in the fact that their parents had always placed a high value on education and given them the best possible. After all that had been said during the afternoon he suggested humorously that lie might be congratulated on his choice of parents. A delightful afternoon tea was then served, after which Mr Rutherford, sen., thanked those present for the honour they had done Mrs Rutherford and himself and for the opportunity of meeting so many old friends.

Cheers were then given for the guests, and Mr W. H. Skinner thanked the party for responding so readily to the invitation to attend.