SCIENCE CONGRESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19700, 29 January 1926, Page 6

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

CROWDED PROGRAMME OF PAPERS. MEN OF SCIENCE CONFER. The fourth science congress of the New Zealand Jnstitirte opened at the University yesterday morning, and will be continued till Monday evening. It has brought together a representative gather - ing of leaders in the Dominion in every branch of science to the number of about 150, and tho few days of the confercnre will-be crowded with :ui almost _ overwhelming number of papers on various techiucal subjects. As a matter of fact over tO papers are to bo delivered during the course of the congress. The congress is divided for the purpose of hearing papers and discussions into six different sections,. Agriculture, over which Mr A. H. Cook - ayne presides; biology, with Dr R. J. liUyard as president; geology, president Mr J. A. Bartrum; chemistry, physics, and engineering, president Mr U. U. Farr; anthropology, president Dr P. H. Buck; j and social science and economics, president I Professor ,1. Shelley. Sectional meetings ! are to be held in the mornings and each evening a public lecture is to be delivered. Several excursions have also been planned, ’t he geology section will make an excursion to Nicholl’a Creek, the biology section to the Marino Fish Hatchery a,t Portobello, and it is suggested that the botanical members of tho congress pay a visit to the Maungatua sub-alpine peat bogs. Visits to local manufacturers and chemical industries are contemplated for the members of the chemistry, physics, and engineering section, and to the stud farms of the Taieri Plain for the members of the agricultural section. The anthropology section will vjsrt Long Beach, Murdering Beach, and Kaibu’s Beach. The arrangements for all those excursions will be in the hands of sectional committees. ' It is suggested that, if time permits, a combined excursion to the Waipori electric works be held. A special congress service has been arranged for Sunday evening next. The Rev. Dr Morrington and his church officers have invited the members of the congress to be present at the evening service at First Church. A good deal of the organising work has fallen upon the officers and council of the Otago institute, the hon. secretary (Dr J. E. Holloway) in particular, being responsible for the preliminary arrangements. In the agriculturpl section a large number of papers were read, dealing with various aspects of agricultural education. Mr A. H. Cockayne delivered the presidential address on “ Tho Trend of Agriculture in Now Zealand during the past Twenty-five Years.” “Aspects of Higher Agricultural Education in America” were dealt with by Professor Peren; “Aspects of Higher Agricultural Education in Great Britain” by Professor Redott; and “Aspects of Higher Agricultural Education in New Zealand” by Dr F. W. Hilgendorf. Other papers | were contributed by Messrs Patterson, ; Ward, and Deem on “Agricultural Extern si on Work,” on “Agricultural Teaching in Secondary Schools” bv Messrs C. L, Gillies and E. R. Hudson, and on “Agriculture in the Primary School,” by Messrs E. S. Lange, Green, and G. S. Ridley. | The biology section had no special papers | put. before it yesterday, but the geology I section had a busy session. The presidential address on “Geological Education in i New Zealand” was delivered bv Mr J. A." Bartrum, who also presented a paper on “Geology of the Papakura-Hunua District,” by Mr C. R. Laws. “The Geology of the Ruahakopatuna Valley” was the subject of a paper by Mr R. J. "Wagborn, presented by Dr Cotton. Dr J. Marwick gave a paper on “ludo-Pacific Affinities of the New Zealand Tertiary Fauna,” Mr H. J. Findlay one entitled “Notes on the Purridae,” and Mr G. P. Morgan one on “Wave-cut Platforms near Titahi Bay and Pororna South Head and Their Significance.” The chemistry, physics, and engineering section did not have any special meetings. The anthropology section had its presidential address on “The Value of Tradition in Polynesian Research” from Dr P. H. Buck, and in the social science and economics section Professor Shelley dealt with “Rapid Communication and Social Revolution.” CIVIC RECEPTION. WELCOME BY THE MAYOR. Hie official welcome to members of the New Zealand Institute and of tho Science Congress meeting here under ite auspices took place in the physics lecture room at Otago University last evening. Dr P. Marshall, retiring president of the institute, presided, and there was a largo attendance. The Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P.) expressed his genuine pleasure on behalf of the citizens in extending a welcome to the visitors who had come to attend this scientific congress. Ho was glad to know that they had with them scientists not only from many parts of New Zealand, but also from Australia. He felt like an atom —(A voice; Tho mijhty atom ! —Laughter)—coming among this galaxy of wisdom and learning. We must all realise the value of tho work of men of science to-day, and it behoved ail in positions of authority to do what they could to see that funds were available for scientific research. It was to such as those present that they must look for scientific discoveries that would mean much for tho future of the world. He hoped that opportunity would be afforded them to visit places of beauty and interest about the city. He gave them all a warm and cordial welcome and trusted that then- meetings would - prove most successful. —(Applause.) Dr P. Marshall returned thanks for the welcome accorded to them in this beautiful city. It was a special pleasure to him to return to this city where he had spent 16 brief and most happy years. It was a special pleasure to them to see the noble pile of buildings that had been erected so that studies might be pushed as far as possible with the means at our disposal. It was a fact well-known throughout New Zealand that Dunedin had taken a greater pride in learning and had done more to promote learning than practically any other city in this country, and that was a record erf which tho city should be justly proud. His Worship’s welcome assured them that the institute would receive a hearty welcome from all interested m science here. It was a great thing to know that even though they might l>o rockises in some sens© yofc the citizens were represented there in the person of the Mayor to welcome them and to show friendly interest in their activities. He read a number of apologies including one from his Excellency the Governor-General and one from tho Minister of Internal Affairs. _ . „ THE HECTOR. MEDAL. Dr Marshall then presented the Hector modal to Mr B. C. Aston, who has just been elected president of tho institute. He recalled tho manner in which the Hector medal had been instituted. Sir James Hector was the pioneer adyisor and organiser in many branches of science in New Zealand and in his memory a sum had boon subscribed to provide an award in rotation for valuable work in the sciences in which Sir James was interested. _ On this occasion it was presented for work in chemistry. Mr Aston had devoted himself with success to tho elucidation of the peculiarly baffling problem ef bush sickness which affected fully a million acres of pumice land in tho North Isla'nd. The speaker also reicned to tho recipient’s valuable work in field chemistry. Mr Aston said he regarded tho medal as the highest honour a chemist could receive in New Zealand, and acknowledged the groat amount of assistance and stimulus lie had received from Professor Eastevfiekl. In investigating bush sickness ho owed a great deal to his laboratory assistants for loyal support. He would like to have out the modal up and given them each a piece. —(Applause.) RESEARCH IN THE DOMINION. THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. Dr Marshall’s presidential address entitled “Research in New Zealand,” covered a very wide tield of much practical interest.' He drew attention to the fact that the institute was the only scientific body that in the encouragement of research went the length of publishing the result achieved by investigators. He referred to tho paucity of tho funds at the disposal of the institute for its work, and tactfully enlisted the. influence of the Mayor in obtaining greater government assistance. Tho Board of Governors of the Institute that day had been much concerned over the publication of its Transactions. Ho thought it. probable that, in future the publishing of tho volume would be in the hands of a private, firm. —(“Hear, hear” and applause), not that they were dissatisfied with the way in which the work hud been turned out by tho Government printer, but because the work of the Government Printing Office made it inevitable that very many routine matters of importance took precedence of tin; Transactions of tho Institute, which were pot aside until such time as there was a slackness of work in the G-cyonanipjd. griming office. The ageoker

pointed out that in this country the professors were so fully occupied with teaching work that they had little opportunity left for research work such as was looked for from universities in other countries. There were Government departments, and also a few enlightened firms that had their sceintitic experts conducting industrial research for them. There was also a few individuals who, following their own bent, gave their time to scientific research. A National Research Council ought to be able to organise all these classes of effort, but unfortunately the Institute had not the full powers of a Research Council. Further organisation was necessary as well as greater encouragement of individual research. It was a matter for congratulation that a representative of the British National Research Council was coming to New Zealand to discuss the relation of science and industry, but it was rather humiliating to know that when a committee was set up to consult with Sir Frank Heath no representative of the Institute was invited to act upon ft. He presumed that was simply an oversight. To his mind scientific research was nothing more than a questioning of the Sphinx-like face, of Nature which confronted the activities of man throughout the ages. “It is too late in the world’s history,'’ concluded Dr Marshall, “to say that this or that research is impractical and not of any service to mankind. It'is out of late to attempt to divide investigation into pure scientific research and economic research. Every fact that is added to the wealth of human knowledge has its value. It may rise from obscurity to national importance in the twinkling of an eye and from a matter of detail to a fact of the greatest value. The practical man welcomes the acquisition %f facts of all and every kind, confident in the knowledge that each will in its time and place fit into the scheme of advance that will lead to the comfort of mankind and the development of industry and the well-being of nations.” —(Applause.) Professor Easterfield, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to ths president for his address, coupled with it the request that he would allow it to be printed in the Transactions. The motion was carried bj acclamation. x