ORGANISATION OF RESEARCH

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26506, 22 August 1951, Page 6

ORGANISATION OF RESEARCH

CO ORDINATING BODY PROPOSED “There is an urgent need for the creation of a body, with supporting councils, which can report directly to the head of the Government on the most desirable distribution and utilisation of the Dominion’s resources for research,” said the University Research Committee in its report to the Senate yesterday. Both groups would benefit if university and Government research, supported by public funds, could be better related, the report said. The university was not informed of. research in progress or planned by State and other organisations. Even Government departments sometimes undertook projects without reference to other departments interested, so that they might overlap instead of complement. “This does not imply that benefits are to be obtained by the amalgamation of departments; it states rattier a need for better planning and integration of research work before it is undertaken and for calling attention to deficiencies,” the report said. “However, there is no official organisation in the Dominion for making the best use of these organ'sations." Co-ordination and integration of all research work in the Dominion was too much for any one organisation, but a central body, with supporting councils, could give some unity ana still allow the flexibility necessary to encourage initiative and originality.