WEATHER MEN ARRIVE FOR CONFERENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 12 April 1948, Page 5

WEATHER MEN ARRIVE FOR CONFERENCE

A U l-J.ti.LAiN D, April 11. Six senior officers of the meteordlogical services in the South Paeific, have arrived by air to attend the eonference .of the Internatiohal Meteorological Organisation (Region 5) to begin in Wellington tomorrow. They are Professoi: Francois Mangeney (Neiv Caledonia), Mr. M. W. F. SVhregardus (Batavia), Mr. A. K. Rov (Calcutta),' Mr. Manng Poe (Rangoon), Dr. C. del Ro&ario (Director of the Philippines Weather Bureau) and Mr. O. K. Andersoh (Ameriean advisei to Dr. Rosario's department). With the exceptjon of Mr. Schregardus, who said there was too much

rain in the Dutch East Indies, all w.ere keenly intdrested in the artifieial indueement of rain. Dr. Rosario' said lie had conducted two experiments in the Philippines and both times he had produeed showers of rain over a specified area. They had spread dry ice froriv a Dakota aircraft on to cumulus clouds. He felt, however, that much more work would have to be done before the idea eould be considered eeonomieally sound. Flight Lieutenant H. A. Piclcering, Of the directorate of air operations, R.A.A.F., Melbourne, who with Mr., E. W. Anderson, senior engitieer of the eommunieations unit ol! Commonwealth. civil .aviation, who also arrived to attend the eonference, said experiments in artiiicial rain making were being con-' dueted on a large scale in Australia. Asvthe work was still in its trial stages, the seientists were not anxious to give details of their tests. Much was still ' to be done before any deflnite conclusions could be reached.