Maths & Physics

What does that mysterious body, the Maths, and Physics Society, do? Sounds horribly dull and technical. One arts student didn't think so, wrote to Salient to say so. Sad to relate, the activities of this thriving club have not received much notice. It's time students knew more about it.

It is not a home away from home for mathematicians, nor a tea club for technicians. It arranges films, lectures, visits, demonstrations, on a variety of topics. If more "ignoramuses" like "M.H." from the Arts Faculty (her word), and more of the Science Faculty were to conquer their shyness they might find their "infiltration" of benefit to them.

The club has had three meetings this year (Chem. Soc. please note). The first was the annual general, at which R. H. F. Denniston spoke on "Infinity." Then the lecture referred to by M.H., a talk by Pilot Officer J. W. Hutchings on "Clouds." Unfortunately Mr. Hutchings had to stop after an hour and a half; the subject fascinated. Those herring-bone clouds we observe so calmly are due to winds in the upper air. Did you ever study how clouds form on the tops of mountains, how they break away and travel hundreds of miles before dissolution?

Recently club members visited the railway signal and power systems. A trip to Khandallah showed members mercury arc rectifiers and transformers that run the electrified tracks round Wellington. None will forget the huge glass bulbs, perhaps six feet in diameter, blued by the arc-glow, and the controlling automatic switch gear. In town is the main signal box, with Innumerable levers and lights, showing the position of each train, of every point and signal. Inside the main building is the control room, where the whole track from Wellington to Paekakariki is controlled by one man. More such trips are in the offing, so watch the notice-board for information.

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