IS MARS INHABITED?

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 34

IS MARS INHABITED?

PROFESSOR THOMAS'S VIEWS. (From Ouh Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, September 11. With regard to the cablegram about oxygen on Mars, Professor Thomas, of Auckland University, said, when interviewed, that Professor Lowell's discovery f did not necessarily mean that the atmosphere on Mars was the same as that on the earth. "The atmosphere of the earth," he went on to say, " consists of practically one-fifth of oxygen only. To speah of Mars as having an oxygen atmosphere implies that its atmosphere consists mainly of oxygen. If what Professor ; Lowell has discovered is an atmosphere j containing oxygen, the cable would no doubt have said so." - Professor Thomas was asked :—lf: — If there is a percentage of oxygen in _the atmoephere on Mars, does that mean that there is life there f " We'll, to begin with," replied Professor ( £homas, "it shows that Mars is capable of supporting life such as we know it on earth. Oxygen is absolutely essential for Jhe existence of both animal and vegetable life on earth. It is no real evidence on the point whatever All it shows is that Mars is capable of life, but it does not show tiUt there iB Hfe there. There is for difference of opinion as to the 4

significance of the canals. Some people imagine becau&e they are there that they were made by the inhabitants on Mars. The only evidence we really ha\e of the presence of life on Mars is the existence of these canals, which we cannot interpret. I think the discovery is extremely interesting, and I regard it as an important point in connection with the possible presence of life on Mars, but it certainly cannot be regarded as a proof that there is life there.'

Mr W. A. Shields (formerly of Dunedin), manager of Massey-Harris Co. (Ltd.), was on the evening of the 31st ult. tendered a reception at Richardson's Hotel, Melbourne, by the Victorian and Tasmanian agents of Massey-Harris Co., and during the evening was presented by them with a handsome service of plate as a token of their esteem and regard. Mr S. Younkman, of Rutherglen, was in the chair. Every week in future there will be published in these columns, under the heading of " The Guinea Poem," a short, four-line verse on Flag Brand pickles, for which -t cheque of one guinea will have been forwarded to the writer. The competition is a perfectly genuine one, and tho weekly prize goes to the writer of the best vers<». All that competitors are expected to do is to write a verso and dispatch it. together with embossed metal cap from Flag Brand pickle bottle and full name and address, tr. HaTtrarrl Rrnc TXnv ft! 1 W^llinrr^r.