LACK OF SUPPORT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1924, Page 6

LACK OF SUPPORT

FOR CAUSE OF SCIENCE

FEW LARGE BENEFACTIONS

N.Z. INSTITUTE ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Board of I Governors of the New Zealand Institute was opened at Victoria College to-day. The president, Professor Kirk, occupied the chair, and there were present Dr. J. Allan Thomson, Dr. Charles Chilton, Dr. L. Cockayne, and Mr. B. C. Aston (Government nominees), Messrs. G. V. Hudson and P. G. Morgan (Wellington Philosophical Society), Professors H. W. Segar and F. P. "Worley (Auckland Institute), Dr. C. Coleridge Farr, and Mr. A. M. Wright (Philosophical Institute of Canterbury), Hon. G. M. Thomson and Professdr Malcolm (Otago Institute), Mr. H. Hill (Hawkes Bay Philosophical Society), Professor Easterfield (Nelson Institute),.Mr. M. A. Eliott (Manawatu Philosophical Society), and Dr. P. Marshall (Wanganui Philosophical Society). Apologies for absence were received from His Excellency the Governor-General and the Minister of Internal Affairs. In his opening address, Professor Kirk remarked that the standing of the institute in public esteem remained good, although financial difficulties had been very great. Especially great had been the strain put on the loyalty of the constituting societies by the necessity to curtail the "Transactions," to maintain the levy,1 and generally to endeavour to discharge financial liabilities. It was not strange that there had been occasional dissatisfaction on the part of some of the societies, but he did not think that feeling had ever been deep, or j that it had ever been • other than transient. The esteem in which the Institute was held might be increased if the annual'meeting was made a'scientific as well as a business meeting, every ] second or third year. Something might be done to extend a welcome to the many scientific visitors who come to the Dominion, without formal introduction, to local scientific men. In this connection one of the most pressing needs was a suitable Institute building in the. town, easily found and likely to be noticed byv those who were not looking for it. Such a building would meet also the very urgent need of the Institute for. room in which to store its stocks of ..Transactions and other matter. The long delay in the appearance of Volume 54 of the Transactions had been calculated to damage the prestige of the Institute, both at home and abroad. For many years the Government Printing Office did the work in good time, but gradually more and more of the work of the Printing Office took precedence. The effect on the Institute had been exceedingly bad. He. referred to the responsibility on the board to see that the work was done' with the utmost promptio tude, even if it was placed in the hands of a private firm. The institute had continued to keep a watchful eye on matters affecting the preservation of the native fauna and flora. _ Members had taken a very active part in connection with the extension of the Tongariro National Park. It was very desirable that the institute should obtain all information available as to existing reserves of all kinds, their status as reserves, their, sanctuary value, and the dangers to which they were exposed. It should have a vigilant committee well versed in this information to initiate any action necessary. "It is a noticeable feature, commented Professor Kirk, "that except for the Carter bequest the Institute has received no considerable benefaction in aid of its work. The Government made for a short time a Research Grant'by annual vote of Parliament, but this grant was one of the very "first items eliminated when retrenchment became necessary. The Hector and Hutton Memorial Funds, ' and, lately,, the Hamilton Memorial Fund, all contributed by members of the institute, have been applied to the encouragement of research. But it cannot be said that the institute has ever been in a position to aid arid encourage research to the extent that might be expected of a body that includes practically all the scientific workers of New Zealand." Another direction in which the institute might be expected to take a principal part was,the equipment and organising of scientific expeditions in the Dominion, and its dependencies. Here' again the lack of funds had constituted an insuperable difficulty. Scientific workers were not as a rule wealthy, or even well-to-do, and although their- private effort had nev«r been wanting, it had been inadequate to enable the institute to do anything like all the work that it was recognised ought to be done. Until scientific work received the recognition that was extended to it in more enlightened countries, this must always be the case. Even New Zealand began to wake up to the value of scientific work towards the end of the Great War, but it soon dropped off to sleep again. A direction in which the institute might, through its affiliated societies, add to the usefulness of its work, was in the popular 'exposition of scientific subjects. If the Institute arranged for selected members to give popular lectures in any centre that was prepared to pay the travelling expenses of the lecturer, its readiness would, he believed, be taken advantage of. The arousing of popular interest would be certain to have a- benefiicial reaction on the Institute itself. - CONTINUANCE OF RESEARCH ' GRANTS. At a later stage of the meeting Professor Worley moved that the Government be strongly urged to reinstitute the research grant which was recently withdrawn. Dr. Marshall said that a small Government grant as an aid to research was a necessity. Good use had been made of money in the past, and they were entitled to ask the Government' for support. The Hon. G. M. Thomson supported the motion, and said he had written to the University Senate asking them to urge the Government to suitably endow scientific researches. Mr. Hudsoa said that a grant should be made by the Government, if only a3 ■a means of encouraging young investigators. 'He approved the principle of recognition of good work, and remarked that there was too great a tendency nowadays to try to make money out of science instead of putting money into Dr. Farr referred to the drift of promising young research, students into other channels, such as the teaching profession, as a result of financial inabifity to carry oh. After further discussion the motion was carried, and it was decided that a deputation should wait upon the Government in the matter. 'FINANCE. -■ The treasurer reported that the statement of assets and liabilities showed a very satisfactory position. The credit balance had increased from £233 Is 5d at 31st December, 1922, to £869 15s 3d on 31st December, 1923, a surplus for last year's working of £636 13s 10d. The total amount, lew refunds, p»id out to applicants out oi Government r».

search grants was £285 6s lOd; as no further grants had been received from the Treasury, the fund had been reduced to £971 5s Bd. The various trust accounts were in a healthy state. The Carter . bequest capital account had grown from £5155 Is lOd to £5455 15s, ths revenue for the year, earned from investment in Government bonds, amounting to £320 17s 2d, equal to 6 1-5 per cent, on the amount standing to the credit of the account on 31st December, 1922. The investments of the, Hector and Hutton Memorial Funds gave a return of 5.82 per cent.