SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 290, 3 September 1931, Page 6

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Worth-while Expenditure VALUE TO FRUITGROWERS The value of scientific research to the fruit-growing and exporting industry was referred to by the president, Mr. T. C. nlrash, in his address at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ h'ederation yesterday. The special committee controlling fruit research had available for capital expenditure some £4700 to be spent over a period of five years, he said. Half of this amount was made available by the Empire Marketing Board of the United Kingdom, £1250 was given by jthe Fruit Control Board, and the balance of £llOO was found by the New’ Zealand Government. Of the amount, £2536 had ‘already been spent mainly in the purchase of the research orchard in Nelson, and a further proposed expenditure of over £6OO had been approved. For carrying on current work there was available £3720 per annum for a period of five years supplied in equal proportions by the Empire Marketing Board and the New Zealand Government.

The suggestion recently made in Great Britain that the Empire Marketing Board should be eliminated was viewed with much concern, he continued. The latest information, however, indicated that this board might still be retained. The Dominion was greatly indebted to the British Government for the generous assistance given through the Empire Marketing Board for the development of research work. Investigations into all the various problems put forward by fruitgrowers were being made either at the plant research station at Palmerston North, the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, the research orchard, or at some other orchard in the various districts. The staffs at the Cawthron Institute and the plant research station had been strengthened recently. The federation had assisted financially in the investigation of spraying materials and valuable information was becoming available. Results from research work must almost of necessity be slow in appearing, but it was confidently believed that the application of so much scientific knowledge to the various problems must eventually benefit growers very considerably.