RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 3

RESEARCH IN INDUSTRY

NEED IN NEW ZEALAND NOTED PROFESSOR VISITS WHANGAREI *

“It is the intention to \hurry the soil surveys now in progress as much as funds will permit," said Professor Denham, Chairman of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, who arrived in Whangurei last evening.

With Mrs Denham, he is the guest of 'Mr and Mrs Harington-Walker, prior to departing for England next week. He is the Professor of Chemistry at Canterbury College, and his work as leader of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is well-known throughout the Dominion It is under the council that the soil surveys have been undertaken the data so collected to be used in conjunction with land development work.

pjvfessor Denham told a “Northern Advocate” representative, who called upon him this morning, that the survey in the Taranaki district was nearing completion, and that those in the Hawke’s Bay, Northland and the Ashburton districts were well under way. So far no field reports nad been received of the work done in Northland, but it was confidently expected that when a soil map of the area had been properly compiled, useful indications would be given as to what direction ’ends might be used most profitably.

Kauri Gum,

A couple of years ago, Professor Denham said, the council had succeeded in developing a process for the refining of kauri gum. By this, gum was extracted from inferior grades byv means of benzol, from ■ which it was\ afterwards recovered in a very pure (form. A factory was now wording irj America following this formula in the\ treatment of kauri gum. “Whjle there are certain purposes for -which kauri gum, in this pure form, Offers advantages which artificial gums do not,” the Professor added, “until a definite use for pure kauri gurp, which cannot be filled by synthetic products, is discovered, the industry cannot hope for a return of the boom conditions of the past.”

The charges of tardiness in the application of chemistry to industry in New Zealand and the lack of or' ganised and . concentrated research, levelled by Professor F. P. Worley, in his presidential address to the New Zealand Institute, of Chemistry, were referred to Professor Denham.

Application To Industry.

“It is true,”, he agreed, “that we ibave done much less than we should have in the application of science to New Zealand industry. The average manufacturer in New Zealand has very little realisation of the extent to which he could be helping his processes by the proper application of science to his industrial problems. The essential of fully qualified, research officers on the staffs of what are essentially chemical concerns is found only too rarely. Properly equipped laboratories and the employment of an adequate staff have been made compulsory in daify factories, and the results have shown for themselves that this branch is well worth while.

A Case In Point.

To instance the importance of technical control, Professor Denham told of a case which had come under his notice in Liverpool. It concerned the operations of a factory, which had won the reputation of producing the finest ultramarine colouring material in the world. The owner was using the same process, which had been handed down from father to son, but, for some inexplicable reason, the product commenced to decline in grade. So serious did the loss in trade become that it was necessary to call in a highly qualified chemist, who, after a full investigation, decided that the fault must lie in the temperature at which the ingredients were heated. Previously the only manner in which the temperature had been gauged was by the foreman judging the colour of the blaze in the furnace. The chemist insisted on the heat within the furnace being tested by a recording instrument, and when a perfect! batch of the pigment was turned out, the figure registered was recorded, and, in future, the furnace was kept at that temperature. The quality decline was arrested and the markets regained. Petrol From Coal. While in England on the present visit, Professor Denham will study the latest developments in research work, and will visit many institutes and factories. He is particularly interested in the winning of petrol from coal, and will inspect the hydrogenation works at Dillingham, near Newcastle.

Professor and Mrs Denham will be absent from New Zealand for about ten months.