'NEW ZEALANDERS AND SCIENCE'

Evening Star, Issue 23693, 28 September 1940, Page 4

'NEW ZEALANDERS AND SCIENCE'

S. H. JENKINSON'S FINE THESIS The seventh of the volumes, ‘ Centennial Surveys,’ published by the Department of Internal Affairs, is ‘ New Zealanders and Science,’ by S. H. Jenkinson, and to say that it maintains the standard set by its predecessors, both in format and content, would seem to be all that is necessary. Mr Jenkinson has a widespread interest in science, mainly in mathematical physics, metallurgy, and particularly in heat and thermo-dynamics, and has had an extensive practical engineering experience in iron and steel works in America. Perhaps his principal fame'in New Zealand is his designing of the well-known Ab locomotive, which had novel features arousing the keen interest of the engineering world. This preliminary will serve to introduce tho author, who 1 is perhaps not widely known, and serve also to confirm his capabilities in writing a book of this character. Within the limits set by the size of these volumes Mr Jenkinson’s material can be little more than in the way of introduction to the realm of science and tho part played by New Zealanders therein. But it is an interesting and extremely informative introduction, and if the casual reader does not seek to read more than is set down in this work he will still have been given a very good insight into a phase of activity not always fully appreciated by the layman. One big advantage of the book in this regard is that abstruse technical explanations are left strictly alone, the reader being regaled with brief, but singularly comprehensive, biographies. Mr Jenkinson claims: “ In proportion to their numbers New Zealanders have done more for tho progress of applied science than any other people. To clinch this assertion it is necessary only to call to mind the eminent, if not in each case the pre-emi-nent, position held in world science by Rutherford in atomic physics, Mellor in inorganic chemistry, Cockayne in ecological botany, Gifford in stellar physics, and Cotton in germophology. When all these Tnen were living, as they were early in 1934, it is doubtful if any other country could proclaim such a galaxy of living scientists. I will bo accused of being bold, to the point of rashness, in making this assertion and the boast it implies. To the charge of boldness I plead guilty. I know full well , the daring involved, but I also know full well wherein it lies; it lies in daring to leave off where I did. The names of Hector, Hutton, and von Haast in our initial phase of observational science, of Buck, Elsdon Best, Jenness, and Firth in recent anthropology, of the rising star of Aitken in mathematics, and of Guthrie-Smith in ‘ Tutira-ology ’ might also deem to demand inclusion.” Mr Jenkinson starts at the very be-o-innin" of scientific research when Sir Joseph” Banks and Dr Daniel Solander acompanied Captain Cook on his first voy-ige, then leads through the yeais, briefly outlining the careers of most of the men referred to in the extract above, as well as others, and recounts also the formation of scientific schools at the University of Otago, the first in New Zealand. Generally, the work is a marvel of condensation, and Mr Jenkinson reveals no small literary' skill in setting forth his thesis, one effect or which is almost certain to create a demand for more comnrehonsive volumes, which are obtainable in the case of practically every one of the great men referred to in 1 New Zealanders and Science.’