SCIENCE CONGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 13

SCIENCE CONGRESS

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

"A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS.

(«01» ODB, OTTO CORRESPOJIBMt.)

■'•■.' ■='■ . ,'' SYDNEY, 15th! August.; ■yVidespread • attention to the scientific problems affecting Australia, and. other countries Bordering "oh-the Pacific has oeen arrested throughput* the. Commonwealth by the-presence here bf ; scientists from all quarters of the ocean for the purpose- of attending the ; Pan-Pacific Congress.': It was'formaUy opened in Melbourne on Monday,-and will later remove "to Sydney. The •character of the delegations from America,. Canada, Japan, the . Philippines, New Zealand,.and elsewhere giveh the congress—the first international gather-1 ,ing of..the,^.kind' : held, here, since the i.daJß;';-]p"f Augus't,,,}9i't^a if 'very high status,.;and. the;;, discussions , that have already , taken place , -regarding' agrarian problems, have: given the prospect of very valuable results to. all con-i cerned in '.solvihg 'some troubles- through the. interchange oi ideas built upon observation and experi-, ence in independent and varying^conditions. ■ ■. . ,• ■ ' ■; ':

Sir David Masson, in his presidential! address, gave a tim»ly warning regard ing the danger of young nations; such as Australia, shirking the cost and labour of scientific research on their own account and depending upon . the great institutions abroad f6r the research in, solving the problems that, are constantly arising. Not onlywas this dangerous by reason that of the fact that, problems peculiar to th» country should be observed and ■ tackled on the spot, ,h« said,- but there was th» added, danger that by neglecting to train and equip, men for ' the work: the fruit» of research abroad when it was received would not be understood. To make progress for herself and the world was Australia's great ambition,, he said. She had: already done much' to prove that; partly,' at .least, she recognised the vast importance of science. Australia, bad, universities and scientific societies.. Her; Governments did much for public health j and meteorology. But democratic Gov ernm'ents could never go far-ahead of public opinion, and the Australian -people had given no sign of a general understanding of what science "could, do. for them. ■ There was a Commonwealth Institute, of Science and Industry for th« investigations of primary and secondary, industries. > It had a'statutory constitution, powers, director, office, and staff, but it had notjyet-been given the promissd means to build laboratories or obtain skilled investigators. The Australian pubHc was still largely blind to. its interested and its duties. Time and education would bring improvement.' Among other problems there was the prickly'p'ear menace. This pliant cover-ed-24,000,000 acres- of : : Australian soil, arid was increasing at,the rate of 1,000,----000 acres a year. The cattle industry was beset; by many ailments! which cost Australia millions, of pounds per annum. The. sheep'country also'had its. own ills. The extension of ".the wheat belt by the introduction, of more droughtresistant .varieties would enrmously in-crease-the nation^ .wealth.. Our forests had been- paid too little, attention. The investigation of. Australia's clays with a view to developing a. ceramic' industry was an instance oil what, might be' done in the future.- Here some advance, had been made by the CommoriWßalth Institute. There was need of much more extensive topographical' and geological survey than had .yet' xbeen undertaken. In Papua and the mandated territory of New Guinea there was also urgent need for scientific work. Anstr'alia'had voluntarily undertaken a difficult task in New Guinea and the adjacent islands. lt« | most pressing duty was to make full provision for the scientific study of. the land itself. '^There was'reason l to hope that the public demand for science tin Australia would,grow. The foundation was already laid, and the Australia:? peopl* must'look to the older nations for quid ance and example. It is hoped.i n scientific circles that one result of the congress will be to induce the Commbnw.ealth •to give. full. effect to the scheme; contemplated when the Bureau of Science, and Industry wa ß established some years ago. With, a 'great amount of ■.work before it: regarding tfys extermination ;of pests, such as prickly pear, which is gaining, by thousands of acres a year in. someparts of the Commonwealth; and in rendering scientific aid to industry, the bureau had a good start and performed some valuable services. But in the wave of economy it suffered grievously. ' Its staff- was depleted, proposed laboratories were abandoned, and, altogether, it Was so starved that it has abeen quite unable properly to function. The idea of such a bureau has received the highest commendation, and evenat this early stage .the discussions have ehbwn the necessity for its •xistenceso vividly that-more enlightened treatment .of it is expected.