Australian Research To Boost Wool

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 6

Australian Research To Boost Wool

BIG PLAN DEVELOPING (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Nov. 9. “There is much research activity in Australia to assist primary industries and the only limiting factor appears to be the lack of trained personnel,” said Professor W. Riddet, Director of the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, and Professor of Dairying at Massey College, when interviewed following a month’s visit to Australia, from which he returned yesterday. Professor Riddctt said Australia’s greatest efforts were being directed towards all phases of the wool industry and an exceptionally big plan was being- developed, towards which the Government and the industry were contributing. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research was uniting its forces with those of the woolgrowers and the manufacturers and every phase of wool would be affected. On the research side alone expenditure would approach £300,000. In addition, substantial sums would be devoted to publicity. These were vitally important steps to enable wool to meet competition from synthetic fibres. “The plan is one in which New Zealand should be keenly interested,” declared Professor Riddet, “and we would be well advised to make our research. work complementary to Australia’s. However, our problems are not like Australia’s because we produce different types of wool under very different conditions.” In dairying research good work was bciug done in Australia by a staff which formed part of the scientific and industrial research organisation.