N.Z. Fats Research Impresses Visitor

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 17

N.Z. Fats Research Impresses Visitor

New Zealand research programmes on edible and other fats, particularly on their preservation, have impressed Dr. W. A. Waters, Fellow of Balliol College and reader in physical-organic chemistry at Oxford University. Dr. Waters, a Fellow of the Royal Society, is in New Zealand at the joint invitation of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry and the universities.

"I have been very interested to see that many new pieces of apparatus are gradually being acquired by your university and Government laboratories,” said Dr. Waters. “The newer techniques in most fields of chemistry require the purchase of quite a lot of expensive equipment, and it is cheering to see that the authorities here think this expenditure justified. "I gather that, until recently, funds were rather short for new equipment, but a more enlightened approach seems to have been adopted and I hope it has come to stay.

"I was particularly struck with the excellent fundamental scientific work being carried on at the Fats Research Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Wellington, and at dairy research centres in

Hamilton and Palmerston North, I am sure th»; work of these laboratories is going to be very widely appreciated by scientists the world over, even although those who look for immediate financial results may not see at once what gain is involved.” The Australian universities, said Dr. Waters, appeared very short-staffed, partly because they had riot trained enough graduates to deaj with the huge expansion now going on in university education there. The New Zealand universities seemed in a much better position. “I am pleased to notice what a good percentage of the young New Zealanders on the staffs of your universities have been to England for doctorate or post-doctor-ate research,” he added. “I am especially glad that they nearly all seem to have kept in touch with their former research directors and colleagues, and are developing their ideas as the result of these contacts.

“We are always pleased to see young graduates from the Commonwealth coming to Oxford, and I for my part am most interested to be visiting the universities from which they come,” he said.

Atomic Furnace. The atomic furnace in Canada's first nuclear power station in Ontario went into operation today, after seven years of research and development by Canadian scientists and engineers.—Ontario, April 12.

Property Sale. —A property of 12 perches with a fiveroomed building on it at 19 William street was sold for £lB5O when offered at auction. Bidding started at £l5OO.