NEW 'WEATHERMAN'

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 37, 6 May 1927, Page 5

NEW 'WEATHERMAN'

DR. KIDSON APPOINTED TAKES REV. BATES’S PLACE I A DISTINGUISHED CAREER (From Our Resident Correspondent .) WELLINGTON, Thursday. A new “weatherman” has been appointed to take the place of Mr. D. C. Bates at the New Zealand Meteorological Office. The retiring meteorologist, Mr. Bates, will concentrate on preparing a publication on the climatology of New Zealand, from the records of his depart, ment. Brilliant Career Dr. Kidson is now assistant-director of the Australian Meteorological Bureau. His new appointment as director of meteorology in the Dominion carries a salary of £9OO a year. Dr. E. Kidson, M.A., D.Sc., 0.8. E., who will soon issue the Dominion forecasts, has a great reputation as a meteorologist, and the credit for his brilliant career must be given to this country, for he came here at an early age. A Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a member of the Australian National Research Council, he has published original papers on meteorology, with particular reference to methods of forecasting and to the use of meteorological observations of the tipper atmosphere for the use of aviators. He was specially selected to write critical studies of the meteorological results of the first Shackleton expedition and the Mawson Antarctic expedition. His appointment is in conformity with the recommendations of the Council of Scientific Research. An office will be provided with more up-to-date equipment, and the r umber of stations supplying data will be increased especially, outside New Zealand. The department will collect data of value to hydro-electric systems, farmers and fruitgrowers. Educated at Nelson College and Canterbury College, he won in succession junior and senior national scholarships and was awarded the degree of M.Sc., New Zealand University, with first-class honours in physics. In 1904 he completed the honours course at mathematics and was awarded the degree of D.Sc. by the University of New Zealand for researches in meteorology. In 1905 he was appointed assistant magnetic observer at Christchurch, under the Department of Lands and Survey. Mentioned in Despatches In 1908 Dr. Kidson joined the staff of the Carnegie Institute of Washington, and until 1914 worked on magnetic surveys in South America, Newfoundland, at sea and in Australia. From 1915 to 1919 he was on active service with the Meteorological Section of the Hoyal Engineers. He developed the forecasting service and the application of meteorology to gunnery for the Salonika forces, and for his successful work was mentioned in despatches and awarded the 0.8. E. In 1919 Dr. Kidson was appointed to the Watheroo Observatory, West Australia, and in 1921 became supervising meteorologist and assistant director of the Commonwealth Meteorological Service, which position he at present holds. Dr. Kidson was representative of the Royal Society of Victoria at the meeting held in Wellington in 1923 of the Association for the Advancement of Science in Australasia.