FOR INCREASED PRODUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 162, 10 July 1926, Page 9

FOR INCREASED PRODUCTION.

SIR FRANK HEATH'S REPORT. ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. ADOPTED BY GOVERNMENT. WELLINGTON. Friday. In the House this afternoon the Prime Minister moved that the report of Sir Frank Heath on the subject of scientific research be referred to the Government for consideration. The ensuing discussion occupied the whole afternoon and evenAt the outset Mr. Coates outlined the circumstances which led up to Sir Frank Heath coming to the Dominion and making his report. That report had been practically adopted by the Government, and they had adopted certain lines of policy in connection therewith. They did not propose to interfere with many established institutions like Lincoln College, but it had been dei-idecl to concentrate and centralise their means of scientific research. All were agreed. lie said, that iiicrea" 1 production was necessary, and resetm.i could help this by finding out what ' ■ ought to do to fortify our suite. iV." productive qualities nf which wr;o diminishing with time and u-e. For this the best brains were ueces-ary. It would In; the duty of onierrs to keep in touch with scientific thought in all parts of the world, and interchange <">i officers would aleo be necessary. It might 'even be necessary to tin some "f the research in other parts of the Empire. A New Department. Continuing, he quoted from his published comments on Sir Frank Heath's report as to what the Research Department ehould be, and came to the point that the country was face to face with the project of the formation of an agricultural college. The new department would be governed by a council of experts outside the Government service. This new department would not do its work for nothing, but industries requiring research to be done for them would pay for it. and research work would be done for those who wanted it. This would obviate a duplication of staffs, many departments now having men doing the same class of work. What Canada, the United States, and Great Britain had spent on scientific research was quoted. A large part of this expenditure was being supplied by the secondary industries. He estimated that the department in New Zealand would cost £7000 annually. The first essential \va«s a good man to place at the head of the department. Ha need not necessarily he a scientific man, but one blessed with the gift of orgauisation. Forestry would come under the scheme, and it would not be conliued to growing trees. There was no reason why we should not produce wood pulp and manufacture our o.vu paper. New Zealand had a climate, particularly adapted (o forestry, and we could grow here in thirty years timbers that would take one hundred years to grow in oilier countries. We could look forward to future world markets in this connexion, and not merely to local consumption. The question was a broad and varied. one, but if we did not press forward and keep abreast of the times we would iiud ourselves sadly lagging 'behind our competitors. We should m.ike tiiat start now. We should eliminate all narrow jealousies as to localities and make tJac start on the broadest possible basi-. Development of Industries.. The Leader of tho Opposition, Mr. 11. E. Holland, said it was a pity when bir Frank Heath was here he did not consult with representatives of the organised industries as well as representatives of the primary industries. He did not agree with Sir Frank Heath's suggestion that the Prime Minister should be at the head of the new Department, as he had more than enough to do now. Much would depend on the amount of money made available, and those engaged in the Department should havo some voice in its management. He valued most highly the proposal to set up a scientific library containing works relating to our industries. He deprecated the setting up of all kinds of industries which were not suited to New Zealand. Our textile industry, on the contrary, was one that should be developed light up to the fulness of its possibility within New Zealand. The boot industry was another which should be encouraged by scientific help, and, generally, we should concentrate on those industries most suitable to the Dominion. There was a great future in the by-products of our industries, especially in connection with the coal industry, which should be made a State industry and not left to private ownership. There were four by-product works in connection with the Glasgow Gas Works, and from these the Glasgow City Council was clearing £150,000 annually. Other cities had been equally successful. He hoped the board to be set up would include the teaching of science j and of finance and credit in connection with industries. There was a wide scope for investigation in connection with our timber and wheat problems. Those industries must be organised. So far as wheat was concerned we were all right as long as we could get our -wheat supplies from Australia, lufc a drought there might place us in a serious position. We should grow sufficient wheat for our own requirement?. Generally he regarded Sir Frank Heiith's report as a most valuable one. rind tho fact that the Prime Minister had moved that it be referred to the Government for consideration was evidence that they proposed to act on it in it = essential. His party would assist the Government to give effect to it. The debate was continued in the evening by the Hon. D. Buddo iKaiapoi', who said the Cawthron Institute rouM do the work for Nelson. and the West Const, and there s-hnuM Ibe a similar distribution of nlm :itiu::.:l institutions in the North Island. Reply by Minister. Among other speakers were the Hon. 0. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, who stated that Sir Frank Heath h;id been much struck by New Zealand* possibilities for forest frrowtli. Wlru was preventing further development was money which w;i = more urgently needed for public works. Five million nire* of land in New Zealand were suitable for reafforestation. Sir Frank Heiitli"' report regarded rpsearrh work in prun-sy industry as nf fir-t importance. No doubt the Agricultural Collejr" would rentralise'research work, although there would bo outside stations a? well. The college should bo in a good central position. After the Prime Minister hacVjqrdiejl, the motion was adopted, and the'K&use rose at 11.42 p.m.