SCIENTISTS IN DISTRICT

Chronicle (Levin), 16 February 1949, Page 4

SCIENTISTS IN DISTRICT

Day Spent With Flora Club In Forest Reserve Sure^y the most unusual gatbering in this district was that which met yesterday - morping- ' on Mr. Sytratton's property, Fi'orida Road, to the east of the Kimberley ford. To most people it wourd have appeared to have been ax picnic party but in reality it was a band' of scientists representing five cpuntries, who, as the guests' of the Levin Native Flora Club, were* parl taking of light refreshments before scouring the bush for evidence of particular insects or . native fungi wnich" fnterested ' them or were necessary for future ' investigatioh's. | Delegates to the Seventh Pacifie Science Congress, all were men and women of standing in their various scientific pursuits. ' Not all were specifically specialists in botany, oeing, as one member of the party put it, "a mixed bag." Included were zoologists, conchologists, oceanographers and antnropologists^ Others, whose interests lay in the direction of agriculture, public health and the study of fish, were also present. All however, were perfectly at home in the bush and were keenly interested in all they. saw. Many specimens of native bush and fungi were brought out for closer inspection and discussion. Of particular interest was. a special variety" of land snail, the Paryphanta Traversi, peculiar to that Iocality, and which was named in 1930 by Profess.or A.. W. B. Po.well, assistant director of the Auckland Institute Museum, who called it after the grandfather of a local man, Mr. L. Travers, and have since been the subject of considerable research by Mr. R. A. Prouse and Mr. H. S. Prouse. i Fifteen. in Partv I The party which arrived in Levin numbered 15 (although two went on to Wellington) and were in the majority, Americans. Australia was represente'd and there wdte. two British representatives, one being statione-d in Australia and the other in Fiji. Also in the party was a scientist from • Copenhagen, Denmark. The arrangement for the visit to Leyin was made by Mr. R. A. Prouse through Professor PoAyell. At an early hour in the morning members of the Levin Flora Club were at Muhunoa East prep.aring a, staging .area for the use of the party. Trestle tables and a small tent -were erected in an attractive

i spot. The day was perfect. On the arrival of the party, the president of the club, Mr. I. D. Parsons, referred to the pleasure it gave members to entertain the overseas visitors and show them everything of interest in the locality. On behalf of the residents and ratepayers of the county, Mr. A. M. Colquhounv chairman of the Horowhenua County Council, also *welcomed the visitors to the \3istrict. Everyone realised what every country owed those engaged -in scientific research and the district was indeed privileged to have the opportunity of welcoming these representatives of the congress. It could not, however, turn on anything as spectacular as a volcanic eruption, he added. Replying on behalf of the party, its leader, Professor Powell, said that Levin was the last stop on the North Island tour which would live long in the memories of the overseas scientists. Light refreshments f oll owed the introduction of the various members of the party, after which' all moved off into the bush area at the foot of the forest reserve where they soon divided,off into small parties un-der the guidance of the Flora Club members. All returned wel1 satisfied with* the results of their investigations, to fye confronted with long trestle tables Laden with home baked cakes, sandwicnes, fruit and other food meticul'ously prepared and attractively laid out by the women members of the club. After weeks of hotel life, an'd quick snacks whenever they eoulda be secured, the quantity and quality of the lunch met with spontaneous approval, the visitors later stating that it wasthe largest they had ever consUmed. -After lunch the Ohau river nearby was subjected to a close- inspection and from its banks evidence of natural erosion on the mountain range ■ was inspected through high powered fieM glasses. Looking up the river towards the hills, one of the party remarked on its likeness to a scene in any state in America. Gratitude Expressed Prior to embarklng on their bus fon Wellington, one of the members, Dr. C. S. Hubbs, on behalf of the party, thanked the . club for p- "Og them 'an insight into the distriet's b.otanical weqlth ' and lioped that some day it might be!

reciprocated. ^t was very pleasing he said, to meet the actual people ! of New Zealand an'd learn their methods and feelings. "Wev have seen many scientists and many institutions bpt it's great to meet you people," he added. The party, which will leave for the South Island after a short stop in Wellington, comprised the following: Dr. Thomas G. Thompson of the University of Washington, and Mrs. Thompson, Dr. c. S.Hubbs of Scripp's Institute' of Oceanography, and Mrs. Hubbs, Dr. John P. Tully, of the Oceanographic Institute, British Columbia, Dr. (Miss) Francis Clark, Cahfornia, Dr. Anton Bruun, zoologist, of Copenhagen, Denmark, Dr. Herbert Graham M. Phillip, oceanogr^pher," U.S.A., Dr. T. Davis, Research Institute, Montana, U.S.A., Dr. G. K. Roth," anthropologist, Suva, Fiji, Dr. D. J. Pletsch, lEcqnomic an-d Scientific section, of the" Supreme Command of ' Allied ,Po.wers in Japan, Dr. H. Waring, zoologist, University of Western Australia, Di*. W. J. Cooledge, Nqtional Research Council, Wash•ington D.C., Misses Doris Y/estphal, ! arid Sheila Rowiey of .the Univers-r ity of Western Australia and Miss ' Jdyce AUen of the Sydney Museum.