Pacific Ocean Influences in Wright and a not so fictional perspective in post millenial human follies

Abstract

It was recently commented by a returning visitor to Armidale - a member of another University of New England college in the 1970s - that his strongest perception of Wright then was that it was remarkably 'international', and, indeed, various visitors in the vacations in the late 1950s and 1960s would liken it to International House at the University of Melbourne, with which institution we did indeed have various links, our overseas members opting to stay there when visiting the southern city. Arguable this general perception of our rich and complex identity was much assisted by the fact that the initial group of Fellows had, in various degrees, (past) antecedents in: Europe; New Zealand; Scotland and its intellectualism; or with Wales - and its cult of Rugby, as well as with various tertiary institutions in the United States of America. Similarly there were 'applied' links - with governmental/ agricultural organizations in several countries; and with mining exploration, etc. The New Zealand contingent to the S.C.R./ the post-graduate ranks was a continuing one, with three obvious strands - those from Massey or Lincoln, or extending their agricultural (economics) careers; those returning to Australasia after work in the United Kingdom, or in Europe; and staff from the New Zealand universities seeking greater challenges, F.H.Rogers being notable here. It is also appropriate to mention another academic coming via New Zealand, namely the Oxford-educated Professor Dennis Grey, while other names of note in this group would include J.V. ('Jack') Evans, Stuart Duncan, Tony Chisholm, Ian Stewart, Gary Tibbets, in particular.