CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 8

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

Nothing short of financial disaster has overtaken the Cawthron Institute and its researches, particularly in the field of economic entomology, have already been so drastically curtailed that there is imminent danger of much of its past work being rendered useless. Addressing the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, Dr. D. Miller, the brilliant successor as head of the entomological department of Dr. R. J. Tillyard, a scientia+<\vith a world-wide reputation, said that its income had fallen in two years from £6400 to a little over £9OO. through the withdrawal of grants from the Empire Marketing Hoard, the Government and the timber industry, and that the results of the work of 15 years might be lost. It is not to the credit of the Government that this drift should have been allowed to continue for so long. The Cawthron Institute is engaged on national tasks of the highest economic importance. As Dr. W. B. Benham, professor of biology at the Otago University College, stated the other day, New Zealand pays an annual tax of one and a-quarter millions to three pests affecting primary production without counting the cost of the ravages of maggot flies and the loss suffered by : woolgrowers owing to bidi-bidi. In regard to the control of bidi-bidi great hopes are held-that an insect obtained from Chile will prove effectual, and the Meat Producers' Board has . provided sufficient funds t.o allow this particular research to be continued.

But generally speaking the activities of the department are being brought to a standstill. Practically the whole of the trained staff of assistants has been dispersed, and that alone is a calamity. In view of the value of the work that might be accomplished it will be the height of folly to allow the organisation to collapse. The control of one weed, ragwort, would more than justify the expense of the research of years. Dr. Miller believes that he has found a fly the grub of which will destroy 100 per cent of the seeds of ragwort, but will not attack useful plants. This, from a scientist who is mos.t cautious in his utterances, means that he is well on the way to success. The control of ragwort would be an incalculable boon to the country, but nothing can be achieved without the necessary staff and equipment. The duty of providing the finance is an urgent one. Notwithstanding the difficulties of the times, the comparatively small amount of money must be found. The two or three thousands required annually could be saved in almost any department, not excluding the Department of Agriculture.