A NEW ERA?

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1934, Page 5

A NEW ERA?

REFRIGERATION TREND

IMPORTANCE TO DOMINION

That a new era in refrigeration is dawning was the opinion expressed by Professor G. S. Peren in his presidential address to, the first annual meeting of the New Zealand Association of Refrigeration last night. Professor •Peren said the prospect was due to the ■svork now being carried out, particularly at the Low Temperature Research Station at Cambridge and to a true appreciation of the- interlocking of the chemical, physical, and biological fea.tures now existing following the fundamental work of the past ten to fifteen years. "It is really astounding that more interest has not been taken in the subject: refrigeration is a vital unit in our trade fabric of today," stated Professor: Peren. "Logically, one would have expected that from an early date successive Governments would have adopted active policies of investigation of improved methods of carrying our produce, ... and. that . -the. commercial >vprid; and .the general pu.tilie ; -tfould have, taken a' keen interest inCthe matter. ....... . v , .. ; .

' ■■''; Refrigeration, on the , other. hand, seeps'; to jhave been- granted "as an accompiishe'a ,-fact. - It? does' not ..'appear to haye1 occurred to the average man that wliere'chemical,'physical, and bio-logicaL-'seie pecs'.are• concerned-there is usually.npiqiiesbion of finality/and tHat :the improvement and cheapening "of processes is nearly .always possible.:An Cxample-js,the., extent whiei.so Aany large' industrial undertakings; in Europe and America .are for ever" at work endeavouring 'to reduce costs, and improve methods of manufacture.

, ."Improvements •in refrigeration have, I . think, boon' handicapped through insufficient", appreciation of the biological-aspect, of:the, subject. " The activities .of :the cellular tissue of the materials .being handled, and. the products, and. bi-prbduets . .therefrom, lave not be.en given enough consideration. I any- confident, .however, we shall find considerable-improvement in the technique-of storage. .■ ■. • ; "I believe we have laid the foundations of an association which'will-be of inestimable value to New Zealand. Refrigeration is of so much importance to the country, that any organisation; which .will help to distribute..'yaluftble information on technique is highly flesirablel '.■■, ... '■■•■'-.

'-"'.lll these days everyone is stressing the -importance of quality, and. w.hjle we may perhaps'object to haying <,this rubbed; in so frequently, nevertheless the subject is all-important.- The essential thing, however, is to take action in the matter. Pious resolutions' will not get'iis very' far, and'yet'l'have failed to see much, pvidence of a determination to'get. on' with the. job. Generally speakiny, as. soon as constructive criticism is offered, .there is ah outcry on all quarters on the, grounds of interference, with business, or a lack of belief in research. '

.'-'.There, .is.-an old saying that too many cooks, spoil the broth,^and in such- a democratic country as New Zealand, where so many'people have to bepersuaded before any major undertaking can be put in hand, there is a very grave danger of our falling behind our more active competitors on account of the undue delay."