I. D. Blair

Dr Ian Douglas Blair died on 21 January 1989 after a short illness. He was 76.

He was a former student (1932-35) and staff member for almost 40 years. Ian Blair was an Honorary Life Member of the Lincoln College Old Students' Association and served that body as Secretary (1936-39), President (1965-66), and Editor of the magazine for 32 years. After his retirement he maintained close links with the College and the Old Students' Association, and was a regular attender at meetings.

For many years he laboured tirelessly for the Association and was instrumental in establishing many branches of the Association throughout New Zealand. As Emeritus Professor T.W. Walker said during Dr Blair's funeral service, he was largely responsible for forming and strengthening the links binding old students to their Alma Mater.

Ian Blair was born into a Methodist parsonage at Mosgiel and attended Rangiora High School where he was Dux in 1929. He came to the College in 1932 having previously worked on a paper round and milkround to save for his University education. As a student he took an active part in College life, was a prominent athlete and captained the first fifteen. Upon completion of his M.Agr.Sc. thesis he was appointed Lecturer in Agricultural Botany and residential housemaster.

In 1939 he travelled to Britain on a Macmillan Brown Agricultural Research Scholarship to study for a Ph.D. at Rothamsted. He completed his studies in Winnipeg. He was the first Lincoln staff member to earn an external doctorate, in his case from the University of London.

From 1942-45 he served in the New Zealand Army with secondment to the Department of Agriculture (Armed Services Food Production Programme) and participated in the evacuation at Dunkirk.

Returning to Lincoln after the war, he became a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology in 1945, Head of Department in 1950, and Reader in Microbiology in 1960. He retired in 1974.

He was a Nuffield Fellow during 1949-50, and a Carnegie grantee in 1941 and 1962.

He published many scientific papers, technical papers, a text book "Micro-organisms and Human Affairs" and co-authored "Wheat diseases and insect pests" with Lewis Morrison. He was a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science and a member of several professional societies.

The Principal, Professor Bruce Ross, commenting on Dr Blair's contribution to College life, said he had a great capacity for getting alongside students both with his entertaining lectures and his interest in their activities. He was one of the former staff members about whom old students most regularly enquired.

Ian Blair had a comprehensive knowledge of the College and its students.

For the occasion of the seventy-fifth Anniversary of the opening of the College, he compiled "Life and Work at Canterbury Agricultural College" and wrote "The Seed They Sowed", the Centennial Story of Lincoln College, published in 1978.

The College magazines he edited contain a wealth of information about the development of the College, its staff, students and old students. The award of the MBE in 1976 recognised the immense contribution Dr Blair made to the Old Students' Association.

His books, Professor Walker said, will assure him of a permanent place in the College Annals.

He was an enthusiastic fisherman and often described his fishing experiences in the lecture room.

Beyond the classroom he was a trustee of the National Library of New Zealand, served on theNational Water Pollution Committee, and was a president of the Canterbury Sheltered Workshop Association. He helped with the planning that led to the establishment of Lincoln High School, and played a key role in national fund raising for halls of residence at the College.

In 1974 he was appointed a Guardian of Lake Wanaka and in 1980 co-edited a book on the resources of the lake.

He served on the Royal Commission into Nuclear Power Generation in 1976-77, an involvement he described as the finest intellectual experience he had ever had.

In retirement he was actively involved with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, being its Canterbury field representative. Trust Chairman, Sir Peter Elworthy said Dr Blair was an informed, at times acerbic, humourous, and incisive mentor. He began his time with the Trust with five covenants in and around Canterbury; there are now 65.

Methodist spokesman, Mr Geoff Hill of the Durham Street Methodist Church said Ian Blair was never a demonstrative man but in his retirement particularly he found ways of serving the older folk in the congregation for which he will always be lovingly remembered. "He helped them with their gardens, supplying plants and labour, moving about on his bicycle often with the tools of help and encouragement."

He is survived by his wife, Grace, and three children.

Source: Lincoln College Magazine, October 1988, No. 113, p74-76.