AGRICULTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 7

AGRICULTURE.

RESEARCH SERVICE.

Comprehensive Empire Scheme

Proposed.

SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS.

(British Official WirclrsiO

RL'GBY, Mav 31.

The Colonial Conference which has been sitting in London adopted a resolution approving the general principles and objects of the scheme for setting up an agricultural research organisation as recommended by a sub-committee.

It was decided to request the Colonial Office to establish a committee to work out a detailed scheme for submission to all the Governments concerned.

The delegates expressed the opinion that the scheme could be adequately floated on an income of about £175,000, of which considerable portions would be for.the replacement of existing expenditure on the salaries of agricultural research officers.

The scheme provides that a central agricultural research council shall be constituted with a chairman to be appointed by the Colonial Secretary, a director and a deputy-director. The director should be a man of science of recognised standing in the scientific world, and the deputy-director should have had administrative experience in the tropics." -' • .

The formal channel of communication between the council and the Colonial Secretary should be through the, .chairman. It is very essential that both the director and the deputy director should travel in the colonies.

The other members of the council should be, the director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, the director of the Imperial Bureau of-Entomology, the. director of-the Imperial Bureau of Mycology, a chemist and a representative respectively of veterinary science, the Imperial Institute, the Colonial Office and the Empire Marketing Board. All the nucleus of scientific workers should be at the disposal of the council.

One of the most important duties of the council would be to remedy the present inadequate arrangements for the collection and dissemination of reports, on agriculture work. The council would co-operate with 'the Empire Marketing Board in assisting in the development of a chain of group research stations throughout the Empire, the principle of which was approved by the Imperial Conference.

It is considered of first importance for colonial development that a scientific research service shall be created. What is required is an organisation which will enable the maximum scientific power available in the Empire to be focussed upon colonial scientific problems, and which will be capable of overcoming geographical boundaries and racial distinctions, which have no meaning for science.

It is necessary to have a body of workers of the highest class who shall be well paid and provided with attractive careers. . ,

It is recommended that the service should be created from officers who have been engaged in research with the addition of new recruits.