BRITISH GRANTS FOR NEW ZEALAND RESEARCH

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3491, 29 October 1926, Page 10

BRITISH GRANTS FOR NEW ZEALAND RESEARCH

the blackberry menace and MINERALS IN PASTURES. BRITISH MARKETING BOARD'S PROPOSAL. An announcement made by Die Minister of Agriculture, (Hon. O. .)■ Hawken) that two important proposals have been made by the Empire Marketing Board is evidence of the close interest taken by the Impcria. I authorities in the problems of overseas producers, and of the value to New Zealand of a Department having ’ general supervision of scientific research. “The Empire Marketing Board,' said Mr. Hawken. "has offered New Zealand a grant of £2OOO per anuiii ; for five years, to be expended on research into' the problem of eradicating the blackberry pest, on condition that Die Government and the Cuwthron Institute between them will assist with a like sum. Tills is an investigation which the Department of Agriculture and the Cawthron Instijtuto have been conducting for sonic Dime, and it is probably well known that Ur. Tilyard, of the Cawthron institute, is at present on an extensive tour, having as its main object the j discovery of some means of controlling the spread of blackberry and :other weeds, and he has been chiefly j instrumental in bringing about this notion on the. part of the Marketing Board. The SecomWOffcr “Another offer which the Empire ’iMarketing Board has made in a grant lof 12000 per annum for two years on condition that the New Zealand Gov--1 eminent will similarly contribute towards further investigation into Dio mineral contents of pastures. This is a most important, investigation, ot 'value not only to New Zealand, but ;1u farmers in other countries, including particularly pontons of the United Kingdom. A good deal of progress has already been made in this matter in New Zealand, the investigations of 'the agricultural chemist of the Department of Agriculture in connection with his work on bush sickness having aroused great interest among iscientists in the United Kingdom. It is recognised that Now Zealand has already made a valuable contribution lo this sphere of research. in making proposals to the Empire Marketing Board for the working out of the scheme, we have been -able to point lout that New Zealand has set up a j.special organisation for (he purpose !of co-ordinating all scientific re|search, helpfully co-operating with j ihe Department of Agriculture. Die | Oawthnm Institute, and all other scienlilio activities, i Supervision or Work. , "Wc, i hercforc, propose that Die I general supervision and co-ordination of these investigations shall be in (lie i hands of the Council of Scientific Itc- | search, and that specific phases of the work will be undertaken by those i'-!" ; of relentilie activity which already have these problems in hand