CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 26, 25 October 1919, Page 6

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

PROFESSOR EASTERFIELD APPOINTED DIRECTOR. By Telegraph-Pre6s Association. Nelson, October 24. Professor T. H. Easterfield (Professor of Chemistry at A'ictoria College,-Wel-lington) ' has been offered by the Cawthron Trust Hoard the position of Director of tho Caivthron Institute of Scientific Research at Nelson. Professor Easterfield has intimated his acceptance. of the . appointment. He expects to . take over the position on May 1,. The trustees are approaching a former New Zealand research student (now holding a professorial appointment at Cambridge University) with a view to filling the post of assistant-director. j

TJntlor the will.of the late ..Thomas Cawtluon, a sum of ,£240,000 was left for the founding of a technical school institute and museum in or near. Nelson. The trustees within the last three years 'appointed a private commission consisting of Sir James Wilson (president of ''the Board of Agriculture), Professors Benhiuu, Easterfield, Marshal), Worley, and Dr. Cockayne, to advise them as to the best method of executing the wishes of the testator. The trustees wished that if possible' the Institute should bo concerned mainly with' scientific and technical research/and with this in view the commission suggested a scheme for ihe founding of the institute, and also recommended a site: This site, of aho.it 20 acres, was. purchased, but during the war it was impossible to go forward with the institute,, or to appoint a director. ■

Of the ii2(0,000 left to the institute, some .£40.000 has been paid to the Government in death duties. The trustees are ox opinion that as the work will be a national one, making largely for increased productivity and prosperity of the Dominion, it would..only be fair for tlio Government to. pay a subsidy to the institute at the rate of five per cent, npon the death duties. They hope that Cabinet will see its way to fall in with this suggestion.