A GENEROUS BEQUEST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1739, 2 May 1913, Page 4

A GENEROUS BEQUEST.

The announcement that Mil. Thcwas Cawthiion, of Nelson, intends to provide from £10,000 f.o £12,000 for the purpose of .establishing a Solar Physics Observatory in New Zealand, is a piecc of news which will _ he eagerly reoeived in scientific circles, and its generous nature equally appreciated by those who, perhaps, arc less aware of iis importance. 11 n. CAWTininN offers to build, equip, and' endow an observatory to lie erected somewhere in the vicinity of "the sunny city of Nelson;'' to use his own w.irdsj'niid if Nelson liv:'s up to ii-j irinil.-iliou in this rcspccl, (he institution could

not, be morn favourably situated. The observatory should prove, very valuable for supplying data which will he of great use in connection willi meteorology, weal her forecast ing, and other scientific and practical purposes. Its value, will also extend fill' beyond New Zealand, for such n station in this part, of the world is needed to complete. the scheme for the continuous observation of Ihc snn right round Ibe earth by filling in I lie gap between India and North America. In other words, for 10 hours out. of Ibe i!l the snn is not at, present scjenfj. lically observed. The proposed institution at. Nelson will be the only station of Ihc kind south of the Kipial.or, and II will lia.ve Ibe advantage of providing a good observing, season, while winter prevails in the Northern Hemisphere. ||, in stated lhal, Alii. iiHon'h gift, is due to the-lectures of Miss I'liocrotl, who lias been pointing out the great value which would result from the' establishment of a. Solar Physics Observalor.v in Hie Dominion. Mihh J.'kocfolt is a daughter of the. late. Ml!. 11, A. I'liocjoit, a distinguished astronomer, who has placed on record the opinion that "of all the forms of religion in which created things were worshipped, niiii-worship was the leant contemptible," 'Die force of thin remark i:i readily wen when one renlicet-/ that without Ibe sun life oil earth could not exist; and we have also to thank it for almost all that is of use and bcaut.v in the world. Mji, ('awtiiiion bus earned the best thanks of Ibe community for the gloat, tnmiiil.iinee. which his generous jcjft will render lo an important liriinoh of human knowledge.