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Salient. Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 26, No. 8. Monday, July 1, 1963

Scientists Need Air

Scientists Need Air

A Recent departmental squabble produced some involved politics. The altercation was over a small matter of a large liquid air-making machine. It seems the Physics Department was not prepared to sell air from its machine to the Chemistry Department. The Chemistry Department applied to buy a machine itself, but instead was granted one.

Investigation produced several different stories. A Chemistry Department demonstrator and lecturer said: "Departmental policy is such that it is better to have separate machines. We were having difficulty getting sufficient air. There was not enough coming from the Physics people. In view of this we decided to buy our own machine. The Physics Department did not charge for their air. Personally, I believe that one machine is sufficient to supply the University. With two machines we've got enough liquid air to supply the whole of Wellington."

On the other hand, a senior Chemistry student said there was sufficient demand for another machine to be purchased immediately. A stores technician said the second machine was definitely needed. It is used mostly by research students, two on the third floor of Easterfield and two in the basement. He claimed the machine in the Physics Department runs flat out all the time.

The first air-making machine also has a history. It sat on the wharf for a couple of months until it was decided where it was to go, who was to pay for the foundations, and who was to use it. Finally, it went to the Physics Department.