PRIME MINISTER AGREES

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12456, 26 May 1926, Page 11

PRIME MINISTER AGREES

SUGGESTIONS TO BE ADOPTED “PROBLEM OF COMMON INTEREST” A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT In commenting upon the report the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) said it was generally recognised that feeling has increasingly grown during the last few years amongst progressive farmers nnd industrialists and others that the time had arrived for a better linkrig-up of science with our national industries, primary and secondary. It had also been recognised by the Government that the need existed for a central authority to exercise control and to overlook the research work carried on by Government departments; to suggest means for co-oxiera-cion and co-ordination of the research work carried out by University colleges, other institutes, and private workers; to prevent overlapping, ami to advise the Government in the subsidising or endowment of research by grants, etc. The only agency undertaking any part of this work, other than research grants, at present is the Board of Science and Art, but that body, appointed primarily to control the Dominion Museum and Art Gallery, is obviously not the most suitable body to function as a new department. The difficulty which presented Itself to the Government, however, was to arrive at some practical method of reaching the objective. With this aim in view, a committee of scientific and industrial research, consisting of certain heads of Government departments and representatives of the industrial associations (presided over by Dr Marsden, Assistant-Director of Education), was formed early last year. While certain conclusions were arrived at, no definite programme was formulated by the committee, the matter being heir! in abeyance pending visits to the Dominion by Sir Ernest Rutherford and Sir Frank Heath. GRFATER CO-OPERATION Considering the short time spent in New Zealand by Sir Frank, the re port is of great value, enunciating as it does broad principles for the foundation of a far-sighted policy in the matter of leseareli The report lias been carefully considered by the Government, and immediate steps will be taken to give general effect to the recommendations which have been made, though in certain matters it will be necessary to obtain legislative sanction. The new organisation will he constituted on lines suggested by Sir Frank Heath, and based largely on that followed in England in connection with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The new department will be entrusted with the better organisation of the present Government scientific activities; it will aim at ensuring greater co-operation between existing scientific institutions with industries whoso problems await solution, and also at co-ordinating our activities with other units of the Empire in tbo solution of problems of common interest. It is not to be expected that the creation of this new department will be a short cut to the millennium ; nor, as Sir Frank Heath says, can extensive immediate results be looked lot. In the first place, our s ipplv of research workers fu'lv c.omuetent to undertake immediately the problems awaiting solution is insufficient, and in tho second place it is essential that there must bo fostered a healthy spirit of co-operation amongst all concerned; as has been said, the men of science, men of business, working men, professional and scientific societies, universities and colleges, local authorities and Government departments —all must be got together. ‘Team-work” ‘s necessary to deal with the varied problems which arise, and which are too manifold and too complicated to be dealt with by individual firms, associations, or Government departments. EXPERIMENTS A long-sighted policy is the precedent and first essential to success. I propose, therefore, that tho new department- will undertake ns its first duty a careful review of the research work at present being carried out in the universities and other research laboratories. Jt is essential for future progress that steps be taken to promote a full and regular interchange of information between the various research institutes on tho methods and results of their experimental work; it will lead to concentration and economy of effort, and also of expenditure. The corner-stono of the whole structure of the new organisation is research—organised research, and I am sure Government will have the whole-hearted sup port of the'.community in Imping that this stone will be well and truly laid. The Government is concerned with the well-being of the people, and the position immediately facing us is to ensure that they should be enabled not only to cx'st but to prosper. Onv well-being is largely dependent on the export and satisfactory disposal of our primary products. Tho secondary industries must not he overlooked; their operations are, however, largely coufined to our internal market. Our efforts must in tho main be directed to increasing the quantity and improving tho quality of our primary products. This problem, however, will not bo near solution until producers generally recognise scientific research as essentially part and parcel of tlicir organisation. THE COLLEGE There is one particular matter to which special attention is drawn by Sir Frank Heath, viz., the creation of the new agricultural college. The details in connection with the establishment of the college are practically finalised; and in connection with the establishment of the college tbo question arises as to tho relation of the college to research. I intend to refer at present to one particular phase only, viz., that of the dairy industry. The Government fully recognises that, while very marked progress lias been made in dairying on the instructional side, less has been attempted on the scientific side than in tho case of other industries. The Government has had under consideration tho constitution of a special branch of the Department of Agriculture dealing solely with problems affecting the dairy industry. The proposal under consideration was to establish a special laboratory nnd staff at Wnllacevilte, where the research in dairying would be carried out in conjunction with the other activities of the department. I nm, however, convinced that the proposal of Sir Frank that this special work should be attached to the central agricultural college, is the cor-

rect one, and' immediate steps will be taken t.a give full effect to his recommendation. OUR FUEL One other matter referred to b* Sir Frank Heath is that of a scientific study of our fuel resources, both in relation to production and consumption. This matter waß recently the subject of investigation by a special committee, which dealt more particularly with the possibility of extending the uses of our coal supply by the railway authorities. Jam convinced that further special attention will need to be directed to the use of our fuel supply to the best advantage, the proper application of our various kinds of fuel to their appropriate purpose, and generally the adoption of the most economical and efficient means for the use of our fuel in industry. The matter has already received the attention of the Director of the Dominion Laboratory and of the Mines Department, and a highly qualified officer of the staff of the Dominion Laboratory has been detailed to make investigations while visiting the United States and England. This matter is one of such great importance, and as T nm advised our present facilities for research are sufficient immediately to attack this problem, I propose to arrange that it shall receive the immediate attention of the new department. AID FROM OVERSEAS In so far ns our secondary industries are concerned, while I fully recognise that there are certain matters in which scientific and industrial research is required, I feel that tho problem to be tackled in this Dominion is one more of investigation and adoption of improved processes and machine methods, lay-out, lighting, etc., rather than an expensive and extensive campaign in the matter of scientific research. Tho main requirements are instruction and advice on technical matters of general impoitance, and the dissemination to manufacturers and others of technical information from overseas. In so far as there is a need for scientific research ’n ihe secondary industries, I consider that this can best bo provided for by an extension of existing facilities. Provision will also require to be made for the testing of raw materials and products in various stages o*' manufacture. Encouragement and assistance will bo given for the organisation of research associations in various trades and indvu-, tries. CO-ORDINATION Sir Frank suggests the appointment of technical field officers attached to the Department of industries and Commerce, nnd 1 feel sure great benefit would result from'the appointment of the “right man,” not merely to keep tho department advised as to difficulties experienced, but rather to keep manufacturers fully advised of tho latest improved processes and, where necessary, to instruct and advise them ou modern factory organisation and practices. The co-ordination under central authority of the various scientific activities conducted by tho Government will he given effect to as early as possible. I look forward with confidence to tho assistance and full co-opciution of tho universities, since it is to the universities that the eountiy must primarily look for its scientific workers. Scientific research is a slow, long process, and a steady policy is far moro important than an ambitious one. I cannot promiso large grants for research in the immediate future. I am convinced, however, that, from the viewpoint of tbo State, tho expenditure of the public funds in the supervision and encouragement of .scientific research, particularly in its relation to primary industries, must prove an extremely profitable investment. As stated previously, tho idea is to develop a policy, and having due regard to the relative urgency of the problems requiring solution to do “first things first” ; to create a spirit of co-operation between farmers, industrialists, scientists, and others which will bo helpful to all hv increasing production and preventing waste.