SCIENCE AT WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 14 (Supplement)

SCIENCE AT WORK.

HANDMAID OF INDUSTRY. PROGRESS IN AUSTRALIA. EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] j SYDNEY, April 4. The activities of the Australian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research should bo of great interest to Now Zea land, for it is not a selfish concern, work ing for the good of Australia alone, and lias often expressed its willingness, its desire, in fact, to work in close co-opera tion with similar concerns in other countries. An ever closer association with the Dominion would be welcomed. Much is heard from time to time of the council's work, but the public, strango to say, is not greatly interested in science. Still the work goes on, and the last annual report shows that the amount spent by the council last year was £BO,OOO. There was a very wide sphere of activities, divided into four main sections—animal nutrition, entomology, botany and forestry. All these subjects are of basic importance to Australia and New Zealand, and each is presided over by a chief who, in the words of the council, is an " eminent authority " in the science concerned.

An example of the scientific work that is being carried out is that of economise botany, a division in charge of Dr. B. T. Dichson, formerly professor of plant pathology at McGill University, Canada, who was brought to Australia for the purpose. His division is investigating the pricklv pear pest, tomato wilt, bitter pit in apples, banana leaf spot and tobacco diseases. All these diseases cost Australia thousands of pounds a year. An insect—Cactoblastis cactorum—has already beftn introduced into the prickly pear with very successful results. The cause of tomato wilt has been found, and fairly definite indications of the cause of bitter pit in apples have been discovered. Another division deals with animal problems, including poison plants, horse diseases, parasites, paralysis in pigs, pieuro pneumonia in cattle,'braxy disease in sheep, and cattlo tick. All theso evils are of serious consequence, and all are being investigated with an encoui aging measure of success. Other subjects examined arc paper pulp, artificial silk, tannin, meat problems, wireless, soil problems fuels pottery, and the geophysical method of prospecting for minerals. In shoit, the work of tho council is spread over the whole continent; it is concerned with every primary and many of the secondaij industries. Investigations are proceeding in the privacy of the laboratory and m the open field. . ... The outlay already incurred will undoubtedly bo recouped to the Cow ™ l ' wcalth at large many times over liom a financial aspect, in fact, the Bureau of Scientific and Industrial Research has already paid for itself as a result of the valuable knowledge already /,®. gai j ing some of Australia's most costly and destructive pests.