RESEARCH COUNCIL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 11

RESEARCH COUNCIL

Views On Bill And Inquiry An inquiry into scientific research in New Zealand is needed before Parliament proceeds with the National Research Council Bill, believes the Canterbudy section of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science. At its annual meeting this week, the section approved the letter its committee has sent to the national council of the institute supporting this action. The council proposes to make representations to the Minister in charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr Tennent).

The council, in a draft letter, has proposed that, in the event of it being too late to postpone action on the bill, its clauses on membership and representation on the proposed council should be modified. It is suggested that the bill should be referred to a select committee of the House of Representatives to enable submissions to be made. The section, like its national council, believes that the council envisaged in the bill would be no more than a State services advisory committee. The section agrees with its parent body that State departments should be represented only by permanent heads, and not by their deputies, and that the six appointed members should have a strong scientific background. Members of the section attached to universities also feel they should have appointed representatives on the council

The section has also advised the national council of the institute that it favours the general recommendations made in the letter to the Minister be available to a member of the Parliamentary Opposition. Nuclear Testing