Conversazione

On the last Friday of the second term the Science Faculty threw open its doors to the gullible public of Wellington. The attendance was good and the entertainment more or less a success.

After a very formal opening by Mr. P. Levi (Chairman of the College Council) the visitors were at liberty to attend lecturettes given by the various science professors or to wander aimlessly from room to room. A very obvious improvement would have been to number the rooms consecutively throughout, so that one: could see all the exhibits by merely following a few finger pointers

The Physics Department eclipsed all others; for its innumerable exhibits were all of a most interesting type. Their preparation must have necessitated several weeks' hard work and entailed a great expenditure of skill and money. The star item was the wireless telephone. Through this marvellous contrivance one could hear the strains of a gramophone situated on the floor below almost as well as when waiting for one's turn to don the receivers. An X-ray exhibit also attracted a large audience. But to see all the exhibits in this department alone would have taken three hours, and a Wellington audience must see everything, especially if there be no charge for seeing.

The Chemistry exhibits were much less pretentious, especially those held in the small laboratory. Easily the best were the liquid air experiments. Evidently the makers of doubtful perfumes had complete confidence in the ability of the Physics Department to keep people amused. It was noticed that for once the Chemistry labs, were devoid of those piles of dirty alembics, thermostats, and simple devices which had been found so useful in protecting the sensitive beach-tops from the ultra-violet rays of sunlight. It is to be sincerely hoped that the aforementioned articles were merely stowed away in some sunny room and not thrust down the sinks.

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The Biological Department's exhibits were well chosen and not too numerous. One demure young lady made a great hit in showing all the inner workings of a cat-eater of doubtful origin and odour.

The intricacies of the human intellect and its working were manifested in the Psychological laboratory. In the absence of any intellect suitable for dissection and exhibition, the public had to be content with pre-arranged experiments, in which the public were the observers—or victims. An outstanding feature here was the freshness and eagerness of the demonstrators, this being probably due to the quick preparation of the exhibits.

The Geology display reflected great credit on those responsible. The exhibits were simple, neatly prepared, and easily understood. Moreover, there were not too many demonstrations crowded into one room.

Mathematics is a subject regarded by "the man in the street" as quite without charms. Nevertheless, the Mathematical Department's exhibits were a pleasant surprise to all who dared approach. Of absorbing interest were the models of projections of fourth dimensional solids.

Now that the clouds of war have rolled away the old University spirit is fast returning. The Conversazione this year gives us a good example. Next time, the public of Wellington should see a display equal in all respects to those of pre-war days.