RESEARCH WORK

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1924, Page 7

RESEARCH WORK

REINSTATEMENT OF GRANTS '

REQUESTED BY NEW. ZEAl___X> '„- ''.v. INSTITUTE. :.:.;.*:.:

A deputation from the New-Zealand Institute which this morning-requested the Minister cf Internal ' Affairs."'(the Hon. R.-'F. Bollard) to reinstate ±h_'rese.arch grants formerly nfadeto-the'.hiT stitute, but discontinued as a post-war .measure of economy, received,-a sympathetic reply fronTtlie Minister, who-pro-mised to try to induce Cabinet tp aceeda to the institute's "desire. Dr. Marshall, president of -the institute, stated that the"; money formerly granted was. used for scientific research, and £2000 had been given fcr two years •in succession. The money was carefully expended; and no student was-accorded a research grant unless the institute was certain that the money was being ex* peuded in _ prcper manner,- Ne grants had .been made "for two years now, and it "was asked that "they be rein" stated. Gopd value had been received for the money previously expended oa • research. - Professor Kirk said that the'grant fop tlie institute had. been struck out oh th.. score of economy. Research under the institute's auspices had not been carried out i without result. For one .thing, re< search: into, the question of insulators had meant-;a saving of '£10,000 .-''year to New Zealand alone,, Of course,iucli great results as that were not always achieved in so short a space ofjtime, but it went to show that'the" research work' was of the greatest value' ahd imbwtw ance. ' ,'':' ' '.■'" _ Professor. Easterfield e_ip__si»e_'''t_B importance-of going in for' a "vigorous Research School. This country:-was'pp's,; sessed of enormous resources, but-these were of lio use without research' to show how they could be'developed;1 'i."" The' Minister: ' 'I quite.' agree' , "with' YOU." >" '■'•,'. i - -'•..' -.-...,...;.. I ..,., - Continuing,, Professor* SasWrfield said the institute:* research' grants'haUfl-'eeii of value in ehqbling University, students .to continue their work and become ■ ex* pert in their particular lines".-of. scientific activity. It was.mcst essential;that the institute should have'-a littlehienfy to go on with. ."' '■•':•*-■.,. Dr. Cockayne mentioned tlie'researciieS being .carried out in economic ; science and said the iniprovemeht'.'of 'pui;v,p_-; tures was one of the ■ matters'how receiving' attention. Hundreds*pf ,:>thoui sands of pounds \vpuld accrue Tto'New Zealand if a research in.'respect'to.'cocksfoot grasses, now being ..cart-ied butyl.re' suited in a suitable form of-grass ■ being found. ' ■;■ .'.:'.':;.-..';"-""'"■" Tlie Hon. Gi M.v'Thom_6V.'_LEt_", spoke of v research being* cari-iodiout'by his son -^ith respect -lb 'a» crustacean which it was thought might be°of '■'some use. The_ apparatus which. Dr. Thomson, his son, had used was now at Pai-*a.e"r-ston North, where it was being employed on some other work, so it -would lo seen that the institute practised'economy in the use of apparatus and fruji terial.' ' /• •■..-. .... .:■• ! The Minister said he was very•••-much impressed with Dr. Cockayne's remarks' and the request of the deputation.:,, The institute had his hearty.'sympathy,--and he would do his verybest to induce-Cab. met to grant the application/: He hope. that_ when the matter had gone hefort Cabinet and its decision announced,' thai the institute would be surprised rather than disappointed at the liberality shown for he knew that members of Cabinet were sympathetic too. .. '■■•"'.' '■