ECLIPSE PARTY’S FUNDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1080, 18 September 1930, Page 1

ECLIPSE PARTY’S FUNDS

ASSISTED BY ARTICLE IN THE SUN MORE MONEY REQUIRED As a result of The Sun’s announcement yesterday that, >mless further funds were subscribed for the Astronomical Society’s proposed visit to Niuafou Island to observe the solar eclipse the Dominion would fail in the task entrusted to it by the British Empire Eclipse Committee, numerous subscriptions have been received. This was announced by Air. J. E. D. Spicer this morning. Mr. Spicer is assisting in organising the expedition. “Credit is due to The Sun for the money which has come in, although we are still short of the required amount,” he said. There is an answer to the statement made elsewhere that it was merely a rumour that the scientists are likely to be stranded for want of funds, iu some recent documents from the New Zealand Astronomical Society, received by Mr. Spicer. In these it is stated: —“In this instance the British Empire Eclipse Committee has honoured New Zealand by entrusting the observation of the solar eclipse to this Dominion and lending us its instruments. It would not be to our credit were we to reply that we were unable to do the work because sufficient people interested in science could not be found to subscribe £300.”