GOLD FOR THE MAKING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3993, 5 September 1929, Page 3

GOLD FOR THE MAKING.

*— STARTLING CLAIM BY TWO RE SEARIOH WORKERS.

Gold for the making—that is the startling claim made by two Christchurch research workers. It means transmutation —a mystic word which has been on the lips of scientists for centuries, and in ( .a ChMstchureh laboratory, after 15 years of exacting and dangerous work, the investigators claim to have succeeded by an electro-mag-netic process in transmitting certain elements into gold. What such a discovery means to humanity beggars the imagination. The principals (telegraphs a 'Christchurch correspondent to the Dominion), arc Mr. G. P. Aston, an 'electro chemist, and Mr. H. W. A tack, a Christchurch solicitor. The lesults of the work of these two men have come under the notice of the New Zealand Government and possibly of the Imperial Government.

In their well-equipped laboratory both men have been juggling with the mysteries of the structure of tiie atom and the electron. Their laboratory contains specially built plant, and the men have been submitted to no small amount of danger. As a matter of fact there have been explosions and minor accidents. Scientists have agreed that transmutation would never be achieved until some greater energy than electricity was discovered — something that would transcend atomic energy and offer a control over electrons. What was that greater energy? The answer, it is claimed, came in the discovery by Mr. Aston of chromadyne, an elec-tro-magnetic force 10 times more powerful than electricity, which is associated with the force of gravitation. Wrapped up with this new energy is the process of transmutation, but not transmutation as popularly understood. The experiments have not been carried out in Christchurch alone. A sum of £-10,000-has been spent in icseavch work in Queensland, Sydney, Wellington, and other places. Miete, the German scientist, claimed to have transmuted mercury into gold at a cost of £2OO an ounce. He died not long after that, and research workers at Harvard at great cost attempted to repeat the achievement of Miete, hut obtained a negative result.

As evidence -of the marvellous powers of chromadyne, it is only necessary to point out that by its use any coloulr or shade of electric iiglit can be given through all depths of colours of the spectrum, including black. A reporter was shown a sample of the gold which it is claimed was the result of transmutation.

CHRISTCHURCH 'CLAIM NOT CREDITED.

London, September 3

'Concerning the cabled report that Messrs Aston and Atack claim to have succeeded in transmuting base metals into gold, the Australian Press Association interviewed Imperial Institute Research experts, who -mefrely laughed, and said: “Somebody is pulling somebody’s leg. Such claims are not treated seriously.”