NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files

# MOST REPORTS THOUGHT TO BE HOAXES Science Considers Saucers, But Not Very Highly

PERSONALLY he felt that most flying saucer reports were hoaxes, but if reliable reports could be obtained the scientific world would be agog with interest, as they would be events of the first magnitude, said the president of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (Mr. I. L. Thomsen) at the society's annual meeting on Saturday.

The director of the Carter Observatory ' (Mr. Thomsen) spoke on "A Scientific Consideration of Flying Saucer Reports."

It was highly probable that other planetary systems existed but it might be a considerable time before the existence of other systems could be demonstrated by observation, he said. Within our own solar system it seemed that no life could exist comparable to that of earth. Life as it was known on earth was confined to rigid physical limits and those conditions would have to be duplicated for similar life to exist elsewhere. Present knowledge of a basis for life on other planets was almost entirely lacking and the existence of such life was purely speculative.

Mr. Thomsen recalled the years immediately after the First World War, when radio was an innovation and enthusiasts were looking for messages from Mars. It was assumed that the Martians were so much more intelligent than the men of earth and had far better sets, so a message was sure to come. Yet with the great development of radio, Mars was still silent. The situation was much the same today about inter-planetary travel. People from other planets were reported travelling the universe and actually being on earth.

## Untrained Enthusiasts

Scientists had to receive and examine these reports, said Mr. Thomsen, but the task was not made easy by the host of enthusiasts who made the reports but were completely untrained in every sense of the word. With innocent impertinence they regarded the questioning scientist as stupid, bigoted, secretive or ignorant. Such terms as "flying saucers, flying cigars, flying paper-clips," had been used, he said. There was no uniformity but they seemed to be of bright lights and such phenomena or fairly detailed mechanical contrivances. He felt sure that the first class comprised natural or well-known phenomena. Not many people looked at the sky regularly and when they saw something they could not explain they immediately concluded that it was a flying saucer. One factor was that so much could be read about flying saucers.

Reports of objects at great heights

and speeds could be immediately discounted, he said. Brilliant meteors and fireballs accounted for an appreciable percentage of reports. Planets and stars were mistaken, as were meteorological balloons and such things as the effect of searchlights on clouds. Whereas the ordinary observer jumped to conclusions, the good astronomical observer constantly checked up on himself and should discover if he was wrong.

There remained the residual of reports not satisfactorily answered, he said. Often they were not precise enough or if a scientific observer had been present he could perhaps have given an answer.

## Significant Lack

It was significant that there was a lack of reports from seamen on watch 24 hours of the day all over the world, said Mr. Thomsen. Or from nightwatchmen, policemen, and others who worked in the night. As far as he knew, no reputable astronomer had reported seeing flying saucers. Those most involved seemed to be connected with air services, but then they were meeting phenomena not encountered from the ground.

Some claims of the landing of the crafts stretched credulity almost to breaking point, he said. Occupants were said to have a knowledge of our languages and did not differ astonishingly from earthly forms of life. It had been said that they were attracted by the atomic explosions and either did not know what they were about or came to warn us of the dangers of such things, but they had chosen a highly ineffective way of doing so. Nor had they made any attempt to examine the earth. Either they were scared, snobbish, or stupid.

There was no reason for hiding information about them. If they came in peace, they would be welcomed. If they came in war, the people would have to be told. But in the meantime, to keep a sane outlook, the complete worthlessness of much of the material being foisted on to people must be appreciated. Astronomical societies should work harder than ever in the study of their science. It had to be realised that there was much not known and there was a proneness to make mistakes, but also a great deal was known. The degenerate road of easy fantasy should not be taken. It was a serious matter that so much nonsense on the subject was being learnt by children.

# Convinced Flying Saucers Are Real

AUCKLAND, Dec. 8 (PA).—"I am fully convinced that flying saucers are real and of extra-terrestrial origin," Mr. H. H. Fulton, of Auckland, president of the Civilian Saucer Investigation Association, said today. He was replying to scepticism expressed by Mr. I. L. Thomsen, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand.

"Civilian investigators are interested only in the truth," Mr. Fulton said, "and I for one would not dare to pass on false or baseless findings to children or anyone else."

He deprecated the attitude of astronomers who "debunked and ridiculed" the "many thousands of sincere and fully qualified observers." If they studied the evidence astronomers would either join the flying saucer investigators or confine themselves to their own studies. Contrary to a statement by Mr. Thomsen, many seamen had reported seeing flying saucers. Last July the captain and five officers of the Dutch ship Troote Peer reported seeing an object 80 miles out from New York.