Members of the Lincoln University community have been saddened by the death of Emeritus Professor of Plant Science James Gilmore Hall White.
Jim, as he was universally known, died in Christchurch on 3 August aged 76. His funeral was held on 7 August and many old friends and colleagues from Lincoln University were among the mourners.
The University acknowledges Jim’s life and the contribution he made to Lincoln and his discipline area, agronomy.
Jim’s association with Lincoln University spanned more than five decades. Born in Nelson in 1931, he came to Lincoln in 1951 as a Bachelor of Agricultural Science student after earlier completing the Intermediate requirement of those days.
During his student days he was a member of the Students’ Association Executive, and Secretary and Chairman of the Rugby Club.
He graduated BAgrSc in 1953 and MAgrSc the following year, when he was the University of New Zealand’s Senior Scholar in Agriculture. He joined Lincoln College’s Plant Science Department in 1956 as an Assistant Lecturer in Field Husbandry and in the early 1960s won a Commonwealth Scholarship which took him to Adelaide’s Waite Institute for doctoral study. His research there centred on nodulation, an essential process in legume establishment which results in the production of nitrogen. He continued this interest back at Lincoln where he investigated the compatibility of lucerne with companion species.
The agronomy of legumes was the research theme of his career with Mesopotamia Station in the Upper Rangitata and Hunua near Waikari in North Canterbury being two of his well-known field work sites.
He was a life member and past president of the NZ Grassland Association, and a regular contributor of scientific papers to conferences of the Agronomy Society of New Zealand and the International Grassland Congress. His agronomic expertise led him to an FAO assignment in Argentina over 1976-77 providing guidance on lucerne maintenance.
Jim rose to be Head of the Plant Science Department at Lincoln University and Professor of Agronomy. He served on and chaired many of the University’s academic and other committees, including the Board of Studies, and put a huge amount of energy into University affairs beyond his teaching and research. He retired in December 1993.
Last year he was presented with the New Zealand Grassland Association’s premier award, the Ray Brougham Trophy, for his lifetime contributions to pastoralism.
Outside of his academic work, Jim had many recreational passions including rugby and he coached age group and senior reserve teams at Lincoln for many years. He was equally dedicated in community work and gave notable service on the boards of Cashmere High School and Christchurch Polytechnic.
The University salutes the life of one of its outstanding staff members and extends condolences to Barbara, Jim’s wife, and their children.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Ian Collins, Communications Group, Lincoln University, Canterbury
Tel: (03) 3252811 ext 8549. Email: collinsi@lincoln.ac.nz