SCIENCE CONGRESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1923, Page 3

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

AUSTRALIAN ANI) N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SYDNEY, Aug. 27 The various committees at the Science Congress are dealing with a wide range of subjects connected with tho I’acilic, and its problems, ino hiding the iieoples and their customs, migration, geography, geology, ostymology, zoology, geodesy, entomology. Other subjects being discussed arc plant breeding Hygiene, and veterinary science. Many til the papers, while deeply interesting frum a scientific standpoint, arc somewhat too technical for general consumption. An interesting feature of the conference is a scries of evening lectures, delivered by various visiting scientists, on the more popular subjects. These are largely attended by tho public. Dr lladdon, dealing with tho subject of anthropology, stated that the earliest remains of man in the-e regions were found in Tasmania, and they dated hack bclurc the la-l glaciation of that region. There was no doubt that this man had walked from Asia to the East Indian Archipelago. This early Tasmanian was related to the early inhabitants of New Guinea, and was of quite a distinct race from ilte Australian Aborigine. The latter probably came of a migration from a land to the west of New Guinea. There thus were two isolated peoples—the Tasmanian, whose culture was of the stone age,-and tin* Australian. EASTER ISLAND.

In a lecture in connection with the Congress, Professor MacMillan Brown, dealing with Easter Island, said tlm island was so small and so barren that it could never have supported iiiiic than two thousand people. Yet. judging from Hie gigantic work on the island. there must, at one lime have been one hundred thousand people there. 11 is supposition was that the island was inhabited bv the slaves of an aristocracy which peopled the Archipelago surrounding Easter Island. He presumed this island was chosen as a necropolis for these aristocrats, because of the barrenness. Many unfinished statues made it appear athough the work there had been suddenly interrupted by a whiff of poison gas which rendered all the slaves helpless. It looked as if the workers had gone on strike, downed tools, and never nicked them up again. NEW ZEALAND BEES.

At the Science ('ongres-, Doctor Tilyard (New Zealand) read a paper on the introduction of insects into New Zealand. He said that sliorl-tongiied bees, with tongue, only seven milleineties in length, hit holes in the tubes of flowers to get tit the nectar. lie urged Australia- to import only those with tongues over ten niillemetres in length, which could be obtained in the South Island of New Zealand, where no fire blight existed. Dr Tilyard added that ladybirds, introduced from Australia had done good work in New Zealand. The Cawtliorn Institute was experimenting with other insects, such as those which attacked gra.-s grubs. PACIFIC MARTI!(,)FAKES.

In th*'- *rc'jpliysi«> ioiu i* pli’ji wns m.'Klr Ut inure stations for tin* study of Pacific earthquakes, and also for lip* use ol a standard recording apparatus, so that observation may lie made on a common basis. WIRELESS. EXPANSION. 11l the wireless section. Mr Fisk said the new services to be organised ineluded services between Aii-tralia and England, a high power station al Yaucoitver ; additional services to South Africa, United States. India, New Zealand, the Far East, and passihly South America : and tin* organising el broadcasting. PAPERS DEALT WITH. (Received this dav at 11.45 a.m.) SYDNEY. Aug. 28. Mr Fisk, in a second paper at tin* Science Congress, traced the hisiory of wireless in Australia, -tilling iiiaL it wa- one of the tew lonmrie- t > solve tho problem of Government control. He was now engaged on a scheme affording direct communication with Great Britain.

Mr G. Taylor explained the progress achieved in. transmitting by radio three coloured plates from a natural coloured photograph and success i.epended on tin* result ol experiments. The Congress passed a resolution requesting tin* League of Nation- to give the best attention to the en-

couragement of inventions lor petit* and progress.

The Reverend Silga. oi Manilla, in a paper on observations regarding the static- in tin* Pacific said the

vagaries of the statics were 100 capricious to he overlooked and too important to he ignored. At night signals from l.vous could he road in Sydney, ten ihoti-and miles away, with head phones mi a table, hut in the morning l hey could not he read at all. A practical -chetne of observing the statics had been in operation at the Philippines since the beginning of the year. During a discussion on the characteristics of the Australian aboriginal. Dr Buck sail that th** Maori race was eager to co-operate in anthropological research regarding themselves. lie suggested that an agreement should he reached as to what measurements should he made on skulls, main ol which could hi* examined in the Maori burial places but could pot he remov-

A paper bv Mr M.iirdcn. New Boulh Wales Government Botanist, on reafforestation, stated that* the native forests of Hawaii were dying at an alarming rate, jeopardising the water supply. In some areas introduced trees were being utilised to reafforest, particularly Australian fig trees. These, however, produced no seeds until tile fig wasp wa.s introduced. Since the insect had established itself plenty- of seed had boon available and large quantities were scattered by aeroplanes.