RIGG, Sir Theodore, K.B.E.
(1888– ).
Scientist.
Theodore Rigg was born at Settle, Yorkshire, England, on 6 April 1888 and came to New Zealand at an early age. He was educated at Wellington College and Victoria University. In the First World War, as a member of the Society of Friends, he did relief work in several parts of Europe. He had joined the Department of Agriculture in 1907, and in 1919 transferred to the Cawthron Institute as agricultural chemist. He became assistant director in 1928 and director from 1933 to 1956. He was chairman of the New Zealand Research Council from 1943 to 1954, president of the New Zealand Institute of Chemists from 1942 to 1953, and has held other scientific positions of distinction. He was made a F.R.I.C. and F.N.Z.I.C. in 1956, F.R.S.N.Z., F.R.N.Z.I.H. in 1957, and received the honorary degrees of D.Sc. from Western Australia (1947) and from New Zealand in 1957. He specialised in the study of soil deficiency and was largely responsible for finding a cure for “bush sickness” of soils. He is the author of a number of technical papers on soils, fertilisers, plant nutrition, and the like. He was created K.B.E. in 1938.
