THE OBSERVATORY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1931, Page 6

THE OBSERVATORY

CARNEGIE INSTITUTES GIFT OF £IOOO. ATMOSPH KIMO KLKCTR ICITV. CHRISTCHURCH. Jan. 29. Information was received yesterday that the Carnegie Institute. Washington. had made a donation of 0000 dollars to the New Zealand Department of Scientific Research to enable the work done at the Christchurch Observation' in rjonnexion with atmospheric- electricity to he linked up with that done at Apia. Samoa. The. Director of the Christchurch Observatory (Air T. F. Skcy). to whom the matter was referred, stated that as yet he had received no official intimation that the grant had been made. He had discussed the matter informally last year with Air Johnston, of the Carnegie Institute, when Air Johnston was in ChVistehurch, when it was agreed that the proposition was feasible. provided a suitable locality was first found. “"(Tie netiviilios in Hint line here have been confined for the present,’ he continued, “to a daily recording of the electric potential in the air, and the preliminary results have been published in the September issue of the ‘Journal of Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmpsplioic Electricity.’ They have been favourably commented upon ns results from a new territory

“The limitations of the situation, near a large city, have hitherto rather restricted the work that could usefully he done here, and a, change of site is

imperative. “The ‘linking up’ referred to is not to ho restricted to Apia : hut in atmospheric electricity there is similar work done at Wathoroo. Hauncayo. and many other observatories throughout the world. As regard the linking up of observatory work, that is something that indicates the ordinary cooperation of similar institutions throughout the world.” Air Skey added that official confirmation of the donation direct to the Christchurch Observatory was no doubt on its way from the United States.