RESEARCH WORK

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21746, 31 March 1936, Page 5

RESEARCH WORK

New Zealand Attitude

Criticised

"PENNY IN THE SLOT

MACHINE"

"We in New Zealand have the attitude that other countries may do the fundamental research work, and we can apply it. That system works very well—sometimes exceedingly well—for a short while, but after a time it runs dry," said Dr. O. H. Frankel in an address he gave yesterday to members of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce at. their quarterly luncheon. Dr. Frankel's address was in great part concerned with the impressions he had gained of research work in Russia in his recent visit there, and he made comparison of work overseas and in New Zealand. Too often, he continued, research work was confused with service work. If industrial firms wanted scientists to test their products, then the scientists would make the tests, but it was hopeless to expect the scientists both to make the tests demanded of them and do fundamental research work as well. Research stations, he contended, could not accept a position in which they were controlled by persons who were not themselves scientists. "One of the last lessons I brought back with me from Russia," he said, "was that We in New Zealand should model our research institutions on the lines of those successfully carried on in other countries," Dr. Frankel said. The attitude in New Zealand towards research, Dr. Frankel said, was too often like that towards a penny in the slot machine. The money went in, and quick results were expected. The ideal was to form a research institute and give it power to work along certain lines. Too much scientific work in Great Britain was haphazard, but in Russia it was planned. The work was first of all decided on and then the men were found to do it. Mr Norton Francis, chairman of the agricultural committee of the chamber, said that he thought it would be of enormous benefit if Dr. Frankel could be persuaded to give further talks on other countries he had visited. He had agreed with Dr. Frankel in many of his remarks about research in New Zealand. For years he had been trying to persuade the authorities to do something, and he thought that a good deal of the money allocated to research work in receo.r. years had failed in its purpose, and had failed to get the benefits that research could give. "The few pounds t.pent here on research is quite inadequate," he said. It had to be remembered that research work could benefit ether things than agriculture, and was of assistance in almost every iustance. t ______________