Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), Monday 5 November 1928, page 4


PEN PORTRAITS

Government Geologist

Mr. Torrington Blatchford, B.A., the recently appointed Government Geologist, is one of the 'silent workers' .of the public service. He has traversed the State from north to south Jn the interests of mineralogical. geological, and oil development. To

day there are several dozen pamphlets and larger publications written by him which bear eloquent testimony to his valuable work for the State, and an intimate knowledge of all things geological in Western Australia. Mr. Blatchford was born on the AraIuen goldfield of New Couth Wales in 1871. He was educated at Newington

MB. T. BLATCHFORD*

College, Sydney, and afterwards at the University of that city, where, he graduated in arts. The continuation of his engineering course was broken by his acceptance of the position in 1897 as senior assistant geologist to the West-; em Australian Government. After four years in the State service, Mr. Blatchford joined the Paddington Consuls Goldmining Company, near Broad Arrow; W.A., .and was associated with it for about 18 months'. At this stage he decided to go ln*o business on his own account as a mining engineer, the firm of Black, BlatcMord and Grut being founded as a result. It was situated at Kalgoorlie and the two partners rwere both young mining men from the Sydney University. About 1912 Mr. Blatchford rejoined the Civil Service of Western Australia as Assistant State Geologist. His next advancement was to the position of Assistant State Mining Engineer, a position he held for eight years. For the past two years he has also acted as Government Geologist,During During his long association with the mining industries of the State, Mr. Blatchford has travelled all the fields from the Kimberleys to Albany. He considers his most important work to be the Investigations In connection with the search for oil in the north of this State, and he has been engaged on this for the last two years. As his recent report shows, he is convinced that oil has been found in, the Kimberleys, and furthermore that developments have disproved the opinions of the American expert, Dr. Clapp, and others. Last year he represented the State at the Geophysical Conference, held at Hobart, and the Geological Conference in Adelaide. Some idea of the travelling necessitated by virtue of the position which he holds can be gained from the fact that this year Mr. Blatchford haa visited Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney, Newcastle, Broken Hill, Marble Bar, Broome and the Kimberleys. In days gone by Mr. Blatchford was a keen rifleman, but with extensive travelling his time for recreation these days is limited.