POLITICAL SCIENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 43, 18 January 1935, Page 7

POLITICAL SCIENCE

NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATORS. DISCUSSION IN MELBOURNE. MELBOURNE, Jan. 17. Scientific topics of amazing variety from oceanography to medicine and from live stock diseases to the age and educational qualifications of New Zealand politicians, were discussed by various sections of the congress of the Australian and New Zealand Association for tho Advancement of Science, when it settled down to business today. Tlie 1000 delegates, scattered about all departments of the university, attended the sections interesting each. Describing the personnel of flic House of Representatives in the Government of New Zealand as being on the decline, Mr Lester Webb, of Christchurch, lecturer in political science, read a paper to the historical section. Ho claimed that in the last 50 years tho average ages of politicians had increased beyond 50, the standard of education liad fallen, and professional men had decreased. If vacancies in the New Zealand Cabinet were advertised they would read: “Wanted, Cabinet Minister, preference given small farmers over 60, education above elementary stage a disadvantage.” Mr Webb said the fall in tlie quality of membership of Parliament was due to the insecurity of political life, dependence on party support, and a decline in the part of Parliament ill government. Weaknesses were beginning to appear behind the facade of representative government in British countries. 'flic greatest of these weaknesses was the decline of the personnel of governments. Dr J. V. Duhig (Queensland) also made observations on politicians when deploring tho trend toward nationalisation in medicine. He said lie could see no hope of a rapid evolution toward universal happiness until a scientific outlook was imposed on politics. Doctors should participate in political life.

Professor Higlit (Christchurch) urged better teaching of history. Men in public affairs should know more of the history of the people, and their leaders should be prepared by education, which leads them adequately to appreciative the value of history. Dr Ray Gardner (Dunedin) delivered the presidential address of the pharmaceutical section. He said that much remained to he done from the chemical side of medicines. Pure ■substances of great value continue to be isolated from vegetable drugs to take the place of crude vegetable extracts. These were likely to increase in importance. Pharmaceutical science had its own functions, and had often been a training ground for scientists who became eminent in other fields.