FUTURE PROBLEM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1944, Page 2

FUTURE PROBLEM

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

CHALLENGE OF SYNTHETICS

In addition to the normal adjustments after the war, primary industries in New Zealand would have to face the challenge of the new technological age, said Dr. I. Clunies Ross, dean of the faculty of veterinary science at the University of Sydney, who arrived in Auckland yesterday. Dr. Ross has just completed a three-weeks' tour of New Zealand, having been invited to the Dominion by the Government for the ' purpose of discussing veterinary education and organisation and problems of primary production, particularly the wool industry. Last night he addressed a public meeting at the Auckland University College on the problems of primary indus-

tries. The dairy industry, said Dr. Ross, would have to face the challenge of margarine, vastly improved in quality compared with what it was at the end of the last war, and containing vitamins. This challenge might be increased by the fact that synthetic rubber had come to stay. Tropical areas formerly producing rubber might change over to - the production of vegetable oils which might provide a cheap base for margarine.

The wool industry, said Dr v Ross, would face a competition arising from the use of synthfetic fibres derived from various sources both plant and animal. Further, the accumulation of wool in the producing countries was far greater than at the end of the last war. Increased Efficiency Necdecl "The problems so created are ones which concern not only the producers themselves, but also the Governments and the peoples of all countries whose prosperity rests on the primary industries," continued Dr. Ross. "To meet these threats every effort must be made to increase efficiency and lower costs while at ,the same time improving the quality of our products. So fa'as the dairy industry is concerned, scientific research into the problems of breeding and feeding must be augmented, while the present complex mass of disease problems must be solved as far as possible by the extension of veterinary services.

"So far as wool is concerned, it is sometimes claimed that New Zealand's dependence on wool is far less than that of Australia, and that, if wool is to suffer, New Zealand cdn find relief by the extension of her fat lamb industries. While this country's dependence on wool is, in fact," less than Australia's, no way out of her difficulties is likely to be found by such means, since Australia and other wool-producing countries will seek to take the same measures. Thus there is the possibility of a vast increase in fat lamb production without an available market. "Must Move Fast" "In approaching the problem of the wool industry, a leaf must be taken from the book of the synthetic fibre producers who have founded and expanded their industries with the aid of scientific research. In comparison, the finance and effort devoted to the production, processing, manufacture or publicity and propaganda in regard to wool have been of trivial proportions. The wool-producing countries must move fast and vigorously, for the situation that confronts them has to be met."

In Australia, Dr. Ross pointed out, proposals were at m-esent under consideration for a great investigation, of scientific research aimed at exploiting the capacity of the Australian Merino sheep to grow a considerably greater quantity of wool per head, and of improved quality. Such proposals envisaged a greater expenditure than was ever previously contemplated. Complementary measures in New Zealand closely associated with those in Australia' were likely to have beneficial results.

In addition to production, however, wool producing countries must accept responsibility for research into every aspect of the processing and manufacture of wool, since they stood or fell by wool, whereas manufacturing countries could turn to other fibre from which products could be made and sold at a profit. In view of this, said Dr. Ross, it was hoped that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Australia would be enabled to undertake investigation of these problems on a scale comparable with that of the finest and best-equipped research institutes elsewhere. Wool Countries' Greater Resources "In; considering these problems in relation to the strength of the great corporations producing synthetics," said Dr. Ross, in conclusion, "it must be realised that the wool-growers of" the Dominions, backed by their Governments and peoples, have greater resources at their disposal, if these are mobilised, than any of their competitors. Finally, much can be done by skilful effort and measures to present the virtues of wool before the peoples of the consuming countries. The International Wool Secretariat, which derives its funds from the wool levy imposed on each bale of wool in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, requires to have its resources vastly increased if it is to carry out an effective programme for wool in the international field."