ECONOMY IN INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 March 1926, Page 8

ECONOMY IN INDUSTRY.

application of science

SIR FRANK HEATH'S TOl lL Some variable sidelights on economy in industry by the application of or-«-a nised scientific research were presented to the New Zealand University Senate at its meeting in Dunedin by Sir Frank Heath, of the British Deepartment of Scientific Research. The subject had a direct bearing on the relationship of New Zealand to Great Britain, and the members of the Senate listened with the keenest interest to an address that was illuminating and comprehensive to an unusual degree.

Sir Frank said that he was not quite sure how he could best approach the subject in which he was concerned, but it was unnecessary to explain his present tour of the Dominion. He had visited New Zealand at the invitation of the Prime Minister. He supposed that if a suggestion for a consultation between the representatives of two British Governments for the purpose oi considering how research could best be encouraged and promoted in u-elation to industry bad been made 15 years ago most bodies and persons would have considered it pother. The advancement of knowledge and research in industry and the application of science and economics to manufactures, thus eliminating previous errors, were aimed at. A large number of people at Home still, believed that the organisation of research was hopeless andi was even a damaging policy. He had the idea that, that view was held) rather strongly by some universities; the reason was that the universities realised better than the majority of the people that tliev could not organise an attack upon new knowledge for their own sakes. Investigations in pure science must move where the spirit wil'ed it. The best work in the spheres of research was carried out by the man who moved in the direction whither his interest and personal inclinations urged him : the man also needed .a sense of the organisation of research. Behind that was the question of using the results of the pure scientific investigation in application to the practical needs of humanity. The progress of modern industry and modern social science, such, as hygiene and medicine, was made much slower if it were not 'eft to the individual effort. There were two questions —what could be done to encourage and organise workers in the field of pure science? and what could be done to organise the j application of science to industry? In Germany the solutions had Teen approached in the individual ways of the workers. When the State was richer it had supported universities lavishly. The duties of the professors were interpreted in a generous manner by the State, which had encouraged them to pursue their researches in the service of industry, in their spare time. Sir Frank said that he knew of a number of men in universities in England who were retained by German manufacturing concerns to communicate anything they discovered in the course of their work'that might he of interest. The German Government, he added, supported industry by cheapening railway rates and by giving access to raw materials, and the result was that the great corporations came into operation with capital to retain great research facilities, and to encourage work in laboratories. What was true of Great Britain was even more true of New Zealand. There was no machinery available now in Great Britain to‘bring about this systematic organisation of science—the encouragement of pure science was neglected in Great Britain. The progress of the universities was slow and cautions. At Home the Board, of Education for a long time took! no interest in, university education, but when the State began to support university education bv giving grants it was found that the' vast majority of people was interested in such instruction. It was necessary, however, that sufficient funds should he forthcoming to promote original research, and the need for that was not limited only to New Zealand. There were problems arising now, he continued, affecting inter-imperial relations and trade which could only be solved if they were attacked at both ends. They should be assailed at the source first, and carried on to the other end. He suggested that the attempt to encourage, ori.gi.na l research impure science was likely to he a. failure. “When von come to the problems at Home.” he said, “yon must realise that in any country at all the man-power available is likely to 'be insufficient. That was certainly the position at Home and it still is in many instances. He disputed the idea of setting up a great central organisation, in which the work was hound to weaken the position and destroy much interest in the movement. A strong and keen interest in local affairs was very necessary. Tf the scheme were to succeed they must do their utmost to make use of existing facilities. Though he be'ieved that there should he a nerve centre, this should operate as an aid, assisting and co-ordinating, not. as a central bureau machine. That- was not to sav it would not he necessary to establish in time- a central institution, hut it did not follow that a centre, in the scientific and intellectual sense, should he central in the geographical sense. They must lie careful to avoid any action lilcejy to diminish the initiative.

Strong suggestions should be made, to the industries to attack their own problems through their own people and to finnnee them.se 1 ves. At the same time the State should be prepared to help industries to- attack their own problems through their own people and to finnnee themselves. At the same time the State should he prepared to hel pindnstries in new schemes affecting particularly hig conditions for a b'mited neriod' of time The principle of the department with which he was eonnected was to watch destroying influences j affecting the industries. At Homo there were contain aspects which could not he handled by a single firm, bv a combination of firms, or bv the whole indnstrv. There were problems of die modern world of such an enormously wide range and significance to every man. woman and ,child in the country that the on 1 v solution lay in their being attacked a* the expense of the ratepayers' pockets. The department also gave authoritative and independent advic" in the settling of any dispute that might arise. Geological surveys had also to he taken up in order to obtain further knowledge of the mineral wealth of the country. Even in New Zealand, where hydro-electric schemes were in the process of development in all parts of the country, foe 1 was the mot of the industry for the amount of power and heat derived front fuel was three times as great ns that derived from electric power. Intellectual and temperamental co-operation was required in the industries. After repeating that a proper policy of encouraging industries to lie']) themselves should he adopted. Sir Prank said that a general feeling existed that someth!up more should be done bv those engaged in industries at Home, and that co-ordination and a long campaign of education were necessary. He -spoke

of his department, and said that it gave advice to. and unoll'icia’ly yet effectively co-operated with, the Minister of Industries. who was thus en aided to deal single-handed with difficult problems. However, the greatest difficulty would be experienced in soni e parts of the world in- forming similar departments. So far as he had seen, the people of New Zealand were temperamentally and intelligently -more like the people of England than the populations of any other Dominion. Those responsible for the establishment of industrial research in England, which was a- new phenomenon for the Government, felt that it was impossible to make the big study merely through the machinery of the usual . governmental departments, because, although able, ski Till and loyal, the civil servant did not possess the skill or experience necessary .in advising a Minister of the Crown.