RESEARCH INTO INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21121, 23 March 1934, Page 20

RESEARCH INTO INDUSTRY

EXAMPLE OF WHEAT INSTITUTE BENEFITS FROM CO-OPERATION OF INTERESTS In the way in which ti * New Zealand Wheat Research Institute has sucessfully correlated the interests of the industry with proper scientific research, the chairman of the institute, Dr. H. G. Denham. fees an example, which could well be followed by other primary producers in New Zealand. Dr. Denham mentioned the efforts which were being made in that direction by the Department of Scientific and' Industrial Research, when putting < a proposal before the institute yesterday that a sub-committee should be formed to consider its future policy. By bringing together tnc representatives of the growers of wheat, of the millers, and the bakers, and by securing the co-operation of ail interests in advancing scientific research into the industry, much had been achieved. Dr. Denham said. While it was ha.d to assess in money the value of its work, members were able to point to a specific activity of the institute which had brought a net return to growers in New Zealand of from £15,000 to £20,000. The cost of running the institute during its first five years (which were completed last year), had not exceeded that amount. Much of the work done could not be assessed on a money value, but it was safe :o say that the institute's services had brought a net return to wheat growers in New Zealand of approximately £200,000. That was the value of the tangible results which were arrived at. Conflicting Interests "If other bodies representative of the primary industries woula do the same and get together round the table, they would find that they could help one another as well as we have done. Take sheep, for instance. There we have the conflicting interests of those who represent the meat, the hide, and the wool branches of the industry. If they could only get together as you have done, it would not be far short of the mark to say that half the claims which have been made for relief from mortgage commitments would not have been necessary. This institute has been one of the most successful activities of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.'' Wide Activities The chairman then gave in detail an outline of what the institute had achieved for all interested in the industry, including the growers, the millers, bakers, and others. The benefits which, he said, had accrued to the farmers of wheat included the following:— Bred and established a new strain of wheat —Cross 7—which yields as well as Tuscan, giving 3 per cent., more flour and a 10 per cent, better loaf; tested some thousands of imported varieties of wheat and ascertained' their suitability for New Zealand conditions; determined definitely the in- < fluence exerted upon wheat quality by 1

the application of nitrogenous fertilisers; cleared the nomenclature of New Zealand wheat varieties and eliminated synoyms; guided the introduction of the header harvester by the provision of a moisture-testing service: carried out an economic investigation of the costs of harvesting by various methods; and in co-operation with the Department of Agriculture, provided z seed certification scheme whereby farmers are sure of securing seed of definitely good quality. For millers the institute had provided, among other facilities, a moisture, protein, and baking value quality testing service; had elucidated information on qualities of different lines of wheat, which has been made use of in improving millers' grists and making easier the standardisation of the product; established certain definite tests for wheat and flour quality which hawe secu d the confidence of millers; and assisted in improving milling teennique by the scientific examination of all processes. Dr. Denham also gave eight points on which definite results had beei arrived at in. research for the bakers' side of the industry, as well as along a number of miscellaneous lines of observation. Future Policy When suggesting that a sub-commit-tee should be set up to consider the future policy of tiie institute for the next five years, Dr. Denham said that it would be necessary to draw up a well-balanced programme. Gaps in the general knowledge of the institute, affecting in any way the wheat industry, would have to be decided on. For example, the problem of imported grain and flour did not seem yet to have been settled. Ought the institute to consider the possibility of displacing importations entirely, or were the interests all served by allowing a certain proportion of imported flour or wheat to be brought to New Zealand for blending? Mr R. K. Ireland, speaking from the point of view of the miller, said that he thought the proposed subcommittee could deal with the competition of Canadian flour. He was satisfied that the industry was working more efficiently, and producing a better flour, because of the work of the Institute. Millers were open to receive further advice. He, as a miller, suggested that one of the aims of the research ought 'o be to improve th« standard of the flour milled, so that imports could be reduced considerably. Mr W. W. Mulholland agreed that quality \.*as one of the major problems to be attacked. Messrs Fleetwood, R. J. Lyon, W. W. Mulholland. C. E. Boon, the chairman, and the director (Dr. F. W. Hilgenfforf) were elected a committee to consider the institute's future policy.