Laboratories 'Train For Overseas’

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 10

Laboratories 'Train For Overseas’

New Zealand Government laboratories in the Wellington area are excellent training grounds for overseas laboratories, according to the president of the New Zealand Association of Scientists (Professor J. F. Duncan, of Wellington).

“This is a deplorable situation and in the association’s

view it is Incredible that the country will tolerate it,” he says in a special issue of the association's publication, the “New Zealand Science Review,” providing information for the forthcoming National Development Conference. Discussing some possible contributions of science to the national economy. Professor Duncan says there is a considerable movement of staff to the detriment of the country. He also comments on a sur. vey made by scientists in the Wellington area in which the losses of staff from Government laboratories are compared with the gains. “A peak in resignations occurs with those of 12 to 22 years experience, and nearly two-thirds of the resignations occur within 10 years experience,” Professor Duncan says. “Since the greatest recruitment rate occurs for people with no experience within Government employment, it appears to be a common practice for scientists to be recruited into State service straight from the universities, stay for a few years and then to resign. “Some of these go to other jobs in New Zealand, but as only 13 have left for New Zealand universities from Gov. ernment laboratories in the last four years, the implication is that most go overseas. This confirms previous fears." Professor Duncan reports on a questionnaire to scientists asking for suggestions to help the New Zealand economy. “It has been suggested that the Government sponsor the formation of a company or

agency provisionally called ‘Kiwisearch’" he says. This would establish what problems in industry require investigation, and submit these to Government laboratories, universities, technical institutes and other Industries, inviting them to conarrangements on payment. As well as finding out what facilities exist for contract wort to be done in New Zealand for overseas interests, such an agency would advertise and negotiate contracts for this sort of work.

Professor Duncan says that new sources of income might be obtained by producing high-quality goods, selling at a high price, for which there is a small capital outlay, "but for which a high degree of intellectual development is necessary.” peculiarly fitted to play an important role here, and he asks members of the National Development Conference to .. , . cons ‘der seriously how scienti®o knowledge may be capitalised.