N.Z. Group For Textile Meeting

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30739, 1 May 1965, Page 9

N.Z. Group For Textile Meeting

HP HERE will be a big continA gent of New Zealand scientists at the five-yearly wool textile research conference which will be held in Paris from June 28 to July 9. This is due to the number of members of the staff of the Wool Research Organisation who are on secondment to overseas organisations or fellows of the organisation who are studying overseas for their doctorates of philosophy.

Mr N. F. Roberts, director of the Wool Research Organisation, who will leave on May 7 to spend three months overseas on business, will attend the Paris meeting, and Dr. W. S. Simpson, of the staff of the organisation who is at present on secondment to the chemistry division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, will also attend the conference.

Also present will be Dr. D. A. Ross, who is at present on secondment to the International Wool Secretariat to work on artificial crimping of wool and will be in Bradford by the time of the Paris conference. Dr. J. I. Dunlop who is on secondment to the Wool Industries’ Research Association at Leeds working on carpet construction, and Messrs A. Edmonds, B. Wilkinson, L Weatherall and D. Palmer, who are studying for doctorates of philosophy in

England under fellowships from the Wool Research Organisation. Mr Roberts said that advantage would be taken of the fact that these staff members would be in England to familiarise them with world wool research activities. They would be very fortunate to have this opportunity of meeting so many of the textile research people in the world and of getting up to date with their thinking, as this was always a year or so in advance of publications. At least 300 people are expected to attend the conference and Mr Roberts said

that scientists from all parts of the world would present nearly 200 papers. Other New Zealand personnel at the meetings will be Mr R. Bratt, of the Wool Industries’ Research Institute in Dunedin, and Mr Rex Stewart of the institute who is on secondment to the International Wool Secretariat.

While he is overseas Mr Roberts will be visiting research, testing and commercial organisations in the United States of America, England and the Continent looking particularly at aspects relative to the applied research programme of the Wool Research Organisation dealing with carpets, materials handling, shipping of wool and fellmongery. During his travels Mr Roberts will be examining technical service establishments of the International Wool Secretariat. He is a member of the research and development committee of the International Wool Secretariat board and while in England will be attending the six-monthly meeting of the committee. Mr Roberts will also be visiting a number of organisations involved in the testing and measurement of wool for commercial purposes as he is a member of the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority. “I am hoping that as a result of the visit our own projects will be directed along the lines most likely to be profitable in the near future,” he commented this week.