Professor James DURBIN

Dear Anne,
The visit of you and Jim to New Zealand and Jim'stime at Statistics New Zealand now some 15 years ago was a great pleasure to us all. I think our newer statisticians enjoyed Jims' great pleasure at working with young people, and have no doubt that he helped cement in their minds the nature of a statistical carer. I enjoyed the extra-ordinary wisdom, and the breadtyh and depth of Jim's political insights. It was a great opportunity to know you both before I arrived in the United Kingdom in 2000, This gave me the opportunity to meet Jim on many more occasions, a good few with some fine wine, and to share your company. I learnt so much about modern political economy, it gave me a much deeper understanding of the post war years that I could ever glean from reading. I was lucky on my last visit to the UK to attend a dinner club evening which Jim was at.

If even a few statisticians every generation could make the contribution Jim has to robust thinking, it would be a great legacy.

With my sincere sympathy,
Len Cook (National Statistician, 2000-2005)