SECOND DAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22627, 15 January 1937, Page 11

SECOND DAY

TWO MAJOR TOPICS migration problems deficiencies in soils AH sections of the congress of the 'Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science spent a second busy day yesterday at Auckland University College in hearing and discussing papers on a remarkably wide range of subjects. A meeting on migration and colonisation was begun by the economics, history and geography sections, attracting a large and highly-interested audience. "Australia's Migration Policy Since the War," was the title of a paper by Mr. H. Burton, of Melbourne University, and Professor A. H. Tocker, of Canterbury University College, read another upon the absorption of immigrants in New Zealand. British and Js"ew Zealand migration policy Will be dealt with in later addresses. liven larger numbers attended the opening of a two days' discussion on the manifold effects of mineral deficiencies in soils upon crops and livestock, in which the chemistry, geology, agriculture, veterinary science and physiology sections participated. The principal speakers were Professor J. A. Prescott. director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, South Australia; Mr. L. I. Grange, head of the »w Zealand soil survey, and Mr. T. "Rigg, -director of the Cawthron Institute, Nelson.

More papers will be read to-day. and this evening a conversazione is to be held at the War Memorial Museum. To-morrow will be devoted to excursions on the harbour and to places of scientific interest.

WEATHER AND HEALTH INCIDENCE OF SICKNESS 'EFFECTS OF RAIN AND COLD The manner in which the incidence of sickness follows the climate was noticed by Dr. E. Kidson, Dominion meteorologist, in a paper on the NewZealand climate which he gave to both the medical and geography sections. Those kinds of weather which produced the most sickness were the least agreeable, he said, and were principally wet and cold weather. " Since changeable weather with some cold days usually occurs in close association with any general rains, and the rainfall is heaviest in winter, the variation of the incidence of sickness throughout the year resembles that of rainfall." said Dr. Kidson. " Temperature. however, has an important direct effect. In the Auckland province, f«r example, the winter is later than in the south and there are indications that the maximum of sickness is later also. ■ " From the fact that wet, cold, and changeable weather produce sickness, it does not necessarilv follow that health would, on the whole, be better if the climate were drier and more equable. Indeed," he said, " it is extremely difficult to isolate the various effects, some good and some bad, of the different climatic elements or to say what is the total effect of any particular characteristic."

INTELLIGENCE TESTS accurate guide to ability RELATION TO SCHOOL MARKS The claim that a large-scale investigation had shown that a half-hour intelligence test could give nearly as good an idea of the relative abilities of pupils in a class as measured by examinations, as could the school results after seien or eight vears of primary work, was made by 'Mr. K. W. R. Glasgow, ol Dunedin, in a paper to the education, psychology and philosophy section. The inquirv was carried out over two years in 20 city schools in the south among pupils in the sixth standard and at high and technical schools. Discrepancies occurred, but they were far outweighed by the similarities as the tests agreed in a quite remarkable manner with the marks assigned by headmasters in examinations, Mr. Glasgow said. It was shown that bcrys tended to have slightly higher intelligence quotients than girls, but that girls tended to work rather better. The investigation proved, Mr. Glasgow said, that a combination of primary school marks and the intelligence quotient was a definitely more satisfactory basis of classifying entrants to secondary schools than the usual entrance examination. When pupils were badly classified on entrance there were decidedly unsatisfactory after-effects 111 their school careers.

INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS PSYCHOLOGISTS' HELP From the early contacts of psychologists with industry in the development and use of mental tests as aids in the selection of employees there has developed the work of personnel officers in large business undertakings, said Mr. H. F. Benning, of Sydney, in u paper to the education, psychology and philosophy section. The duties of these officers included: —(1) Advice and assistance to the management in the formulation of new policies, and the alteration of existing policies as they affected employees; (2* employment, including the development of sources of supply for staff requirement, the selection of staff and transfers and promotions of existing staff; (.'3) control of welfare and recreation activities; (4) conducting investigations into personality disorders of employees; (5) planning job analysis classification ami salary standardisation schemes; (6) responsibility for securing conformity with company policies relative to tardiness, sick leave, vacations, and special leave.

TASMANIANS' ORIGIN mystkrjks of migration 1 lie mysterious origin of the extinct Tasiiianians, who were of the negroid type with frizzy hair, was discussed ' J . v Mr. \Y. K. L. IT. Crowther, of Hobart, in a paper to the anthropology section. He expressed the belief that fhe natives had reached the island by a, slow infiltration bv canoe from Mela"csian anil other Pacific Islands, going southward alom' the Australian coast a " f i finally by sea across Bass Strait, possibly breaking this part of their Joiirney at some of the strait islands. ■ Mr. Crowther rejected the possibility the migration having been made across what is now known as Bass jHrait by a land bridge. There was a ap k of geological or other evidence of a ny reeent subsidence of such a bridge and there was also the fact that no "'"nan artefacts had so far been dis®°*Wecl on the islands of the straits.