VALUE OF RESEARCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20743, 10 December 1930, Page 5

VALUE OF RESEARCH.

DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE. EMPIRE-WIDE CO-OPERATION. ESTABLISHMENT OF BUREAUX. Underlying the decision to establish the Imperial Agricultural Bureaux in Britain was a realisation of the fact that the value of research results is governed largely by tho extent of their dissemination, that knowledge is of limited use in tho confines of an office file, or even in a technical treatise, and that the greatest good to. tho greatest number can be achieved only by the widest distribution of whatever intelligence research might provide. Service to Empiro workers 011 agricultural science has been the guiding principle of tho eight bureaux set up. Investigational work is beyond the province of the scheme, but an invaluable service to tho Empire scientist is undertaken in the collection, collation and dissemination among research workers of scientific and technical information, in replying to inquiries on scientific and technical problems from agricultural departments an(J institutions in all parts of the Empire and in facilitating intercourse and the interchange of ideas between groups of investigator's on allied problems. Tho first annual report of the executive council of the bureaux indicates how well theso functions aro being organised. Excellent Organisation. Located at leading research centres in the United Kingdom, each bureau is particularly well adapted to the function it iias to discharge. The location and organisation of each permit a direct contact with tho most recent findings from the most authoritative quarters and while the duty of each bureaux is to collect all information published in any part of tho world dealing with its particular science, and translate, catalogue, summarise, and pass this on to investigators in all parts of the Empire, the especial appeal of the scheme to the overseas worker is that it provides the machinery whereby the experience and example of the long-estab-lished British research institutions aro made more readily available. Tho value of this aspect is demonstrated by a consideration of tho institutions involved. At the Rothamsted station there is established the bureau of soil science, with Sir John Russell as the director; the bureau of animal nutrition is located at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, with Dr. J B. Orr as director; the bureau of animal health is situated at the Veterinary Research Laboratory, Weybridge, with Dr. W. H. Andrews as director; the bureau of animal genetics is at the Animal Breeding Research Department, Edinburgh University, with Professor F. E. Crew as director; the bureau of animal parasitology is at the Institute of Agricultural Parasitology, St. Albans, with Professor R. T. Leiper as director; the bureau for crop genetics is at the Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge, with Sir Rowland Biffin as director; the bureau for herbage plant genetics is at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, with Professor R. G. Stapledon as director; the bureau of fruit production is at the East Mailing Research Station, Kent, with Mr. R. G. Hatton (at present visiting New Zealand), as director. Experience of Experts.

Naturally the executive council of the bureaux considers itself fortunate in having secured the heads of the various research institutes as directors of the several bureaux. " They are men of wide experience and scientific distinction," says the annual report. " This association with the bureaux gives confidence in tho developments of the new organisations. Calls upou their time aro many, but each one takes a lively interest in the objects and work of the bureau attached to his institute. Through the stimulus thus provided, through daily contact with those in the institute actively engaged in rescaich and through the introduction to other workers which the location of_ a bureau at a well-known research institute automatically insures, the officers of the bureaux have been well started on a living task. The council regards these associations and close relationship with workers in other parts of the Empire as forming the sure basis for future usefulness."

The period covered by the first_ report has necessarily been one of organisation. Nevertheless indications have not been lacking thafc tho scheme is destined to contribute * valuable service in the cause of agricultural and pastoral enlightenment throughout the Empire. The parent institutes, wherever they possibly could, have placed accommodation at the disposal of the bureaux on generous terms and have assisted the work in numerous ways, as, for instanco. by placing their libraries at the disposal of bureaux staffs and by giving advice and help on particular matters. Such, indeed, has been the rapidity of establishment that several of the bureaux were able, within the year, to commence the distribution of information on their particular branches of science Value ol Direct Contact. Direct contact between bureaux officers and oversea workers is the aim of the scheme, and to this end an officer who has either received part of his early training or has served for some time in some part of the Empire overseas has been selected in almost every case for tho post of chief officer of each under the director. Official correspondents, resident overseas, have been nominated during the year and are now in consultation with the bureaux. Each bureau has sought the aid of its overseas correspondent in moulding its work.

The eight bureaux arc now fully organised. Further increases in staff are not anticipated but it is expected that expenditure will inevitably increase as a wider and more regular dissemination of information is secured and as personal contacts throughout the Empire arc promoted —both of which represent the normal development ot the scheme. Financial requirements are contributed by the various Empire Govenments which subscribe to a common fund from which the eight bureaux are maintained. Contributions for a five-year period amounting to £20,000 a year have been solicited. For the first year £19.795 was assured and £17,357 10s actually received, but expenditure was less than the amount estimated, owing lo the varying dates on which tho bureaux opened and the consequent late appointment of staffs. The estimated expenditure for 1930-31 is £19,319.