FAREWELL TO DR TILLYARD

Evening Star, Issue 19791, 15 February 1928, Page 9

FAREWELL TO DR TILLYARD

FRUITGROWERS’ GRATITUDE SPLENDID WORK AT GAWTHRON INSTITUTE [Peb United Press Association.] NELSON, February 14. The splendid work which Dr 11. J, Tillyard lias accomplished in the interests of the fruitgrowers of the dominion was recognised when a meeting called by the New Zealand Fruit Federation presented him with a cheque prior to his departure for the Commonwealth of Australia, where he is to take up an important appointment at Canberra on behalf of the Federal Government. Mr D. Haining, Nelson director of the board and chnrman of the local Advisory Board, presided, and, there was a good attendance of the general public, especially those engaged in the fruitgrowing industry. Among those present were Mr O. J. Hawken (Minister of Agriculture), Mr H. Atmore, M.P., Mr W. J. MofFatt (Mayor of Nelson), and the deputy-mayor "(Cr 11; Watson).

The Chairman said the meeting had been called to do honor to one to whom honor was due. The fruitgrowers of the dominion appreciated the benefits they had received from the work of Dr Tillyard, and felt that they should give some tangible recognition of it. Mr Atmore, who referred to Dr Tillyard as “ the greatest entomologist in the world,” sard .it was men like him who fought against insects which threatened the lood supplies of the world. His name would always be associated with the introduction of aphelinus mail, which had caused a saving of £IO,OOO to orchardists in the Nelson district. Mr Hawken said it was a most pleasing privilege to him to make a presentation to their distinguished countryman. It would be discovered soon that ha belonged, not to Nelson, but to the Empire as a whole. The Minister went on to refer to the great work which lay before those whose duty it would be to carry on the work initiated by Dr Tillyard. There was no doubt, he said, that there would be a controversy as to the wisdom of introducing into the country insects which preyed upon other insects, yet it seemed to him cpiite necessary that this should be done. While this was so the work called for great scientific knowledge, and also for great judgment ; and there had been a great responsibility in the hands of Dr Tillyard. He congratulated their guest on the very great care he had taken in what he had done in that direction. Continuing, the Minister said there was no doubt that we would have to look to scientists to protect us in the future from losses arising from insects and various diseases i i a way wo had never looked in the past. The relations of the . department with Dr Tillyard had been of the most pleasant, and he congratulated him on being called to take charge of the important department of entomology in Australia. “It is one of the finest things in the world,” said Mr Hawken,' 3 ‘‘that a scientist never keeps his knowledge to himself. ft is a fine thing to know that the scientific world has placed its services at the disposal of all.” The Minister said he was quite sure that Dr Tillyard would bo missed personally right through New Zealand. Speaking on bchalt of the Government, he wanted to thank Dr Tillyard for the great help he had given to the fruitgrowers of the dominion. It came at a very fortunate lime when the industry was something in the nature of “a lame duck,” pud the assistance given had certainly helped to turn the scale in the growfavor, and he believed that from that point the orchards had begun to make progress. Mr Hawken then handed Mr Tillyard an envelope containing a cheque, which had been subscribed to by the fruitgrowers throughout the dominion. “There were no restrictions,” laughingly added the Minister, “ but he thought the subscribers would be pleased if Dr Tillyard obtained a microscope that would make a hug look as big as a horse.” On. rising to reply Dr Tillyard was warmly applauded. Economic entomology, he said, was looming much more largely in England than had been the case in years gone by _ When he first came to New Zealand it did not seem that the possibilities of biological control had been appreciated anywhere except in America. In 1920, when he went to an entomological conference in the Old Country, there were about fiftv delegates, and nearly all were against the practice of biological control. Dr Howard, an American, was a i exception, and he urged the speaker to go ahead with it, as he was on the right lines. What had been done in the way of putting that into pi notice they knew now. Referring to the anxious time he had had when watching the first brood of aphclinus mall reared at the Cawthrou Institute, Dr Tillyard said that Dr Howard had made the original suggestion to him, and therefore they had really to thank the American' scientist for its introduction. The point ho wished to drive home was that behind this work there was a greater work. First of all there was an Empire work, because they had laced the fact that it was mainly by hanging together and trading together that the Empire was aoing to carry on without serious disruption. The future of the Empire lay with the scientist. It was going to he part of his duty and his privilege not only to carry on the work on economic lines, but to build up a staff and train young men to fill many posts which he felt sure would be open to them. Continuing, Dr Tillyard paid a tribute to the members of the Cawthrou Trust Board and the director, who had always seen his point of view and encouraged him in it. Speaking of his experiments with noxious weeds, Dr Tillyard said the Department of Agriculture was quite right in insisting on the greatest strictness being enforced before liberating insects. Nothing but the most stringent test should be permitted, and an open permit should not be granted to either himself or his successor until the Council of the Scientific Research Board was thoroughly satisfied that every possible test had been applied, and that the insects had come through with flying colors. Speaking to the fruitgrowers, Dr Tillyard said ho valued their gift very highly. Inside the envelope was something very dear to him—the sincere goodwill of all his very good friends. Ho would perhaps use the gift to obtain a supcrmicroscope, or perhaps some study furniture, and he would be pleased if he could be supplied with a few appropriate words to inscribe on a silver plate which he would put on the SIft ‘TRUST BOARD FUNCTION.

Dr Tillyard was tendered a farewell by members of the Cawthron Trust Board, when eulogistic references were made to his work, and regret was expressed at the departure of himself and Mrs Tillyard and family. Mr F. G. Gibbs (chairman of Trust Board) assured Dr Tillyard that they highly .appreciated the splendid work ho had done while associated with the institute. His boundless enthusiasm and untiring energy had excited the despairing admiration of all who had been brought in contact with him. His ability and the great success which had attended his work had as their monuments a Fellowship of the Royal Society and his magnum opus, the splendid work on ‘ Insects of Australia and New Zealand.’ The institute, added the Chairman, had been very fortunate in the personnel of its staff, and Dr Tillyard’s connection with it had shed considerable lustre, on it, but this very high achievement had had one very unfortunate result, the moving on of Dr.

Tillyard to a wider and more honorable field of labor. He felt that they could confidently hope to hear of him winning fresh laurels on the other side of the Tasman Sea. In the course of his reply, Hr iiuyard said he felt deep regret at leaving the city, where for the first time in ms life he had found good physical health. The environment was as near perfection as one could find. He had also experienced much sympathy, appreciation, and generosity in the handling of both large and small questions, and in this he included the trustees. Such success as he had achieved had been due to this circumstance, and not to himself. His wife had also been a great factor in any success he had obtained, and he was most grateful to those speakers who had referred to her so kindly. As to the fight against noxious weeds, he honestly believed that success with the eradication of the blackberry would come later. With regard to gorse and ragwort, the experiments wore being advanced, but there were still some difficulties to overcome. Only in the last few days unexpected difficulties concerning the ragwort moth had appeared, but he thought they would be cleared up shortly. Many things which he had attempted in the eight years he had been here had been carried through with success. The experiments with earwigs and oak scale were not as yet 3 success. Fireblight had been a partial success, and he thought that Nelson was the only place at the present time that was safe from the disease, because if it came the provisions of the Act could be enforced. It was inevitable that failures should occur. He thought that the fight against the earwig should be successful within the next two or three years. Although ho was going away, leaving a number of problems unsolved, yet they would bo easier of solution because of "the hard labor his assistants and himself had put into them. The future was very bright for the eradication of noxious weeds Dr Tillyard concluded by expressing his personal thanks to all. No research man, he said, had been more generously treated than he had been by the Board of Directors and general staff in collaboration with him. Three cheers were then given for Dr ami Mrs Tillyard, and the proceedings terminated.