Memories of the Bureau, 1946 to 1962
Foreword
Terminology
Prologue
Preface
Chapter 1: The Warren Years, 1946 to 1950
Chapter 2: International Meteorology
Chapter 3: The Timcke Years, 1950 to 1955
A Period of Consolidation
Aviation Services
Services for the General Public
Rockets and Atomic Weapons
Instruments and Observations
Climate and Statistics
International Activities
Training
Publications
Research
Central Analysis and Development
CSIRO
The Universities
The Meteorology Act
Achievements of the Timcke Years
Chapter 4: A Year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Chapter 5: The Dwyer Years, 1955 to 1962
Chapter 6: A Springboard for the Future
Appendix 1: References
Appendix 2: Reports, Papers, Manuscripts
Appendix 3: Milestones
Appendix 4: Acknowledgements
Appendix 5: Summary by H. N. Warren of the Operation of the Meteorological Section of Allied Air Headquarters, Brisbane, 1942–45
Endnotes
Index
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The Meteorology Act
I cannot remember activity in the 1950s aimed at updating the 1906 Meteorology Act by drafting the Bill for the 1955 Meteorology Act. I imagine this activity was not widely known in the Bureau and was probably confined to discussions between the Minister and Permanent Head of the Department of the Interior, parliamentary draftsmen and other senior public servants with E. W. Timcke and L. J. Dwyer being consulted.The original Act of 1906 was of no more than a page and a half and provided for a Commonwealth Meteorologist with responsibility for taking and recording of meteorological observations, forecasting of weather, issue of storm warnings, display of weather and flood signals, display of frost and cold-wave signals, and distribution of meteorological information. There was also mention of machinery for the transfer of responsibility from the States to the Commonwealth.
The Meteorology Act of 1955, consisting of a little more than two pages, provided for a Director of Meteorology with responsibility for taking and recording of information, forecasting of weather and the state of the atmosphere, issue of warnings of gales, storms and other conditions likely to endanger life or property, including weather conditions likely to give rise to floods or bushfires, supply of meteorological information, publication of reports and bulletins, promotion of the use of meteorological information, promotion of the advancement of meteorological science by means of meteorological research and investigation or otherwise, furnishing advice on meteorological matters, and cooperation with the authority administering the meteorological service of any other country.
It will be noted that as well as more detailed specification of some details of responsibility, promoting the use of meteorological information, promoting the advance of meteorological science by means of meteorological research and furnishing advice on meteorological matters are three significant additions.
Another section of the new Act gave the Director authority to make charges for services provided.
People in Bright Sparcs - Dwyer, Leonard Joseph; Timcke, Edward Waldemar
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