VALUABLE RESEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 71, 25 March 1937, Page 7

VALUABLE RESEARCH

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

"I:.came away, from the institute feeling that a great, scientific work for our country was being done unostentatiously and under a debt to the management for the illuminating illustrations of it they had given me." said the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) yesterday, in mentioning a visit he had paid -to the Cawthron Research Institute at Nelson.

The Minister said that with the' Minister of' Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) he had specially visited jthe institute at the director's invitation. During his long. connection with Parliament' he had heard many times the work of the institute praised, and he had been keen to get some personal insight into it. He had not been disappointed at the result.

"I was. shown practical tests which, though a layman, I could, fortunately, interestedly follow," Mr. Parry said. "1 was shown and had explained to me the parasites being . liberated to stifle the hutiwai (bidi-bidi) —the plant which is the sheep owners' nightmare —gorse, and ragwort. I saw the various stages of the work of the parasites—alii so informative and effective. When one realises that bidi-bidi helped to lessen the value of the Dominion's wool-clip to the extent of £250,000,

it can we]l be imagined the value of the discovery of a parasite for whose deadly.work is claimed the destruction of the plant. To achieve that result alone —to say nothing of what can be done with ragwort—places the Cawthron Institute on a high pedestal of practicability—in praise of whose work the fai'mers throughout New Zealand should sing in chorus."

The Minister said he would recommend any farmer visiting Nelson to arrange to put in a day at the Cawthron Institute. "I could profitably put in a week at that institute," added Mr. Parry, "and acquire every hour some fresh knowledge of its work. The staff from the director downwards has the happy knack of shedding itself of technical explanations; all can understand and follow the method of the work undertaken."