RESEARCH WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23259, 31 January 1939, Page 12

RESEARCH WORK

CO-OPEKATIYE SCHEME DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA MUTUAL PROBLEMS DISCUSSED [Bt TELEGRAPH—rRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON, Monday Problems of mutual interest to New Zealand and Australia, including the development of a plan for the exchange of scientific research workers, were discussed by the chairman of the New Zealand Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Professor H. G. Denham, with the Commonwealth Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Sydney recently. Professor Denham, who is professor of chemistry at Canterbury University College, was a New Zealand delegate to the science congress in Canberra. Ho returned to Wellington to-day by the Awatea. Associated with Professor Denham at the discussions were the director of tho Cawthron Institute, Sir Theodore Rigg, and Mr. F. J. Brogan, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, who also attended the congress. Exchange ol Workers In an interview Professor Denham said tho proposal for tho exchange of research workers was an extension of a principle already in operation at the Dairy Research Institute, where an Australian representative had been actively engaged in research problems in butter for tho past three years. "The agreement we have is that where there are problems of mutual interest to the two countries the main attack will be made in the country which is most interested in the problem," Professor Denham said. "The other country is to co-operate by putting one or more workers into the team. Results, of course, are to bo available to both countries. The idea is to secure a really greater return for the money .spent in the two countries by preventing unnecessary duplication and intensifying tho whole programme. Progress in Australia "One cannot but be impressed by the highly-efficient team of workers which Australia lias got together dealing with many phases of animal research in tho McMaster Laboratory and its fieid station. It is doing extremely fine work on such problems as sterility in stock, which is of tremendous importance to the dairy farmers of New Zealand." Professor Denham said it was hoped that before an intensive campaign was developed in New Zealand elleetive coordination with Australian work would be effected. One could not but be impressed by the extreme readiness with which the 'executive of the Australian Council of Scientific /md Industrial Research was prepared to reciprocate to the fullest extent in developing such a plan of campaign. Organisation in Australia The Commonwealth Council, he said, was held in very high esteem in the scientific world in Australia. One could see that its results had been such that it now commanded the wholehearted support of all political parties and that meant the support of all the people. At a recent session of Parliament a capital grant for buildings of £250,000 had been passed without a single dissentient vote in either House. "An important point of difference between Australia's organisation and our own lies in the executive, which, in the Commonwealth, has power to implement all its resolutions," said Professor Denham. "It is more than a mere advisory body. In New Zealand the organisation is advisory, although in a large measure our resolutions have generally been put into practice."