RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 7

RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY

ASSOCIATIONS BEING FORMED MINISTER'S INTEREST IN * STANDARDS "One of my great ambitions is to sec a very wide development of research associations in New Zealand.' sai the Minister for Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in an interview yesterday. "Such associations operate in other countries and are of utmost importance to industry. The Minister said that organisation was now proceeding for the institution of research associations. For the leather industry there was such an association already, doing excellent work. Similar organisations lor the wool and food industries and one or two others were proposed. The associations would consist of representatives of the industries and of the State, and each would employ its own research officer, who would supply all the scientific knowledge and information available. There was some money on the estimates for the establishment of this system. Mr Sullivan said he was greatly interested in standards and their importance to industry. The Government had taken over the Standards Institute and had reconstructed it. His department was the centre of a number of committees of people engaged in industries, both public servants and private parties, each of which was dealing with its own portion of industry. Special consideration was being given to Eritish and other standards, and their suitability for application to New Zealand. In some cases they may be modified to suit New Zealand conditions.

Side by side with standardisation was simplification, the elimination of a lot of foolish and unnecessary varieties in production. It must not be thought that standardisation meant a dull level of monotonous uniformity. That, of course, had always to be avoided. Every great industrial country had adopted standardisation, because it not only ensured efficiency and better economy, but it was an assurance to the public that it would get value for its money. There were three main points on which he was conducting the industrial efficiency campaign, Mr Sullivan said. These were research and the application of its results, standardisation, and co-ordination. He wanted to have the units in industry working as teams, co-operating to achieve the best for New Zealand.