RESEARCH WORK AT MASSEY COLLEGE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6613, 18 May 1928, Page 7

RESEARCH WORK AT MASSEY COLLEGE

Southern Grumblers Answered by Minister

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CEREALS AND PLANTS Per Press Association. TIMARU, Last Night Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, arrived hero to-day from the South. Referring to the article which bo had seen in a city newspaper in regard to cereal research, the Minister said there was not one thing correct in tho article, which said that tho Government for some obscure reason had decided to locate the cereal research station at Massey, College, Palmerston North, and to transfer the Canterbury branch staff to the north, two officers having already received notice to proceed to the North Island.

The Minister said this was quite wrong. No instructions had been issued to any officers of tho research staff to proceed to the North Island and there was no intention whatever of transferring cereal research work from Lincoln College to Massey College. “This is the first I have heard of the matter. The cereal research work will be conducted at Lincoln College where it should be. Such work ought to be conducted In the Province whero most of the cereals arc grown and that is what is going to happen. “Evidently,” said Mr. Hawken, “the critics arc confusing cereal roscarck with plant research. There is an area of 14 acres at the Massey College for plant research and I understand that the Research Department is' negotiating for a much larger area of land for cereal research at Lincoln. “The article compares the salaries at the Massey College with those at Lincoln.” The Minister said that ho had nothing to do with the salaries* these being in the hands of the governing council.”

Mr. Hawkcn added that it was a difficult task to dovetail the different duties of the various Departments and decide just what work each should do, but no good could come of unwarranted criticism.

“I fully appreciate the fact that each must do the particular work most suited to it and I hope that as time goes on the research stations and the Department will work together with the common aim of increasing production in New Zealand.”