BRITISH SCIENTISTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 4

BRITISH SCIENTISTS.

- INVITED TO NEW ZEALAND. An effort is being made to induce a numbor of tho eminent scientists, who aro to attend the session of tho British Association, for the Advancement of Scienco in Australia, to extend their visit to New Zealand. To this end :tho High Commissioner (the Hon. T. Mackenzie) approached tho British Association extending an invitation for 25 members, and received tho following reply from Professor Ramsay:—"At present we do not see how any useful action can be takon, and whilo assuring, you of our warm thanks and our most' favourable consideration of your pro.posal, I must ask you to allow us to postpone tho whole matter until later. If wo may romind you about the beginning of 1914 of your proposal, it will then be in ample timo." ' ' Lord Plunket, tho High Commissioner (tho Hon. T. Mackenzie), Professor Rutherford, Professor IJendy, and Messrs: Pembor Reeves, and Thomas King have been asked by the Government to wait 011 tho British Association, and further press the matter of tho visit.

Tho Government has entrusted the arrangements for tlie Now Zealand visit in the hands of a reception committee, which is representative of the university colleges, tho Now Zealand Institute, and the various philosophical societies. This reception . committee has drawn up. provisional programme, which .is subject to alteration and revision, which suggests that tho visitors should arrive at Auckland on August 30, and aftor a short .stay go on to Rptorua, spending two or. three days tliere. Then Wellington and Christchurch aro to bo visited in turn. It is hoped the party will bo ablo to spend ten or twelve days in this country, and thoy could possibly return to England by the direct boat from Wellington. At the present timo a visit to Dunedin and tho southern part of the South Island is not contemplated by the scientists as a body, but as tho party will possibly split up into sections, visits to other parts of tho Dominion will doubtless ho arranged. If the British scientists eventually decide t-ri come hero tlie Government will, in addition, extend a like invitation to a- number (about 15) ot distinguished Canadian and American scientists. As indicative of the eminence of the scientists that it is hoped will visit these shores, it may be mentioned that one member of the party will bo Sir Thomas R„ Eraser, F.R.S., who was head of tho huge Medical Congress held ill London recently, at which distinguished doctors gathered, representative of every country in the world. Tho expenses of tiio visit aro .to be borno by tho New Zealand Go«?r:iment, which stipulates in return that meetings aro to be held in at least two important centres in New Zealand.