IMPERIAL INSTITUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22024, 5 August 1933, Page 3

IMPERIAL INSTITUTE

ANNUAL REPORT INVESTIGATIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND. (From Odu Own Correspondent.) LONDON, June 9, 1933. The annual report of the Imperial InsitHv.to for 1032 shows that work in the departments, intelligence, laboratory investigation and education has continued to increase.

Since 1926 there has ben an increase of 20 per cent, in the number of samples investigated in the laboratories and 30 per cent, in the number of inquiries dealt with, whilst the number of visitors to the galleries has practically quadrupled, and this in spite of the fact that during the list three years the income derived from grants from the various Governments within the Empire has fallen by no less than 35 per cent. The generosity of Sir Benjamin Drage and of Lord Wakefield and his company has alone made it possible to keep the work goin^. Its nature and variety can oe illustrated by a few examples of the subjects referred to in the report which have been carried out by the Plant and Animal Products Department. These include the standardisation of -Empire hardwoods; Empire ropes for the Navy; Empire sources of reptile skins; and insecticides. The Mineral Resources Department has carried out a number of interesting laboratory investigations, including technical trials on material for Portland cement for Nigeria and Nyasaland; stoneware and bricks in the West Indies and West Africa; the reports on the possibility of using charcoal gas for motors. Inquiries on mineral subjects were received from practically every country in the Empire. Many of these were concerned with the possibility of marketing Empire minerals in the United Kingdom; others had reference to the search for Empire sources of muteria.l for consumption in this country. The report mentions that at the re* q i jot of the High Commissioner for New Zealand the commercial prospects of Now Zealand white pine (podocarpus dacrydioie- s A. Rich.) in this country have been considered. The future of this excellent timber depends upon the price at which it can be offered. Other work dealt with or in hand includes inquiries as to Andamans timbers for the United Kingdom market, the market for selected Fijian timbers, Gold Coast dnnta wood for axe and tool handles, fire-resisting qualities of Empire timbers, and Burma pyinkado as a flooring wood. NEW ZEALAND FLAX. The fourth series of trials on the resistance to sen-water of ro-es made from sisal and New Zealand hemp in comnarison v/i h Manila ropes was completed. The report on the results was published in the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, and was subsequently reprinted and widely distributed. On the whole the results confirm those of previous scries. Arrangements were made for a fifth scries of .tests to include sisal from both high and low altitudes, and, at the request of the Government of Mauritius, a sixth scries was also undertaken with the object of determining the behaviour of ropes composed of Mauritius hemp in comparison with that of sifial and Manila ropes. Both series are now in progress, A report has also been drawn up regarding the investigation at the Imperial Institute on the absorption of water by sisal and Manila ropes, and their consequent increase of weight and girth. It was decided that this report also should be published in the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute. Others matters which received the Committee’s attention included flax production. the softening of sis.-.l by special treatment, the waterproofing of sisal, new sisal decorticators, and the effect of preservatives on the durability of fishing nets composed of sisal, New Zealand, and Sunn hemps. TUNG OIL. New Zealand is also interested in the investigations regarding tung oil, experimental cultivation trials of which have now been in progress for several years in many countries, and in some cases the trees have comminonced to hear fruit. In order to elucidate problems connected with crushing and extraction, , a consignment of tung seed was purchased from America, and a series of experiments carried out at the works of one of the large firms of oil crushers. Feeding trial* on poultry, dairy cattle, and pigs with the mual obtained in the above ex-

poriments have been conducted at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen (with the aid of a grant from the Empire Marketing Board) in order to determine whether this material can be safely emp.oyed ns a feeding stuff for animals. The results indicate that the meal will have littlo value for this purpose on account Of. its unpalatability. The Committee on Tanning Materials had under consideration the possibility of marketing deer skins from New Zealand in this country, and wore able to report favourablj as a result of trials carried out on email lots by two of the principal users of these skins in the

United Kingdom, both of whom made an offer to take a trial lot of 1000 skins. The skins have become available for the market as a result of the withdrawal ot regulations against the killing of deer in New Zealand, and the Dominion Government was anxious to ascertain the suitability and value of the skins to tanners. ATTENDANCE EXCEEDS A MILLION. The attendance in the exhibition galleries has exceeded a million. Good use of them has been made for educational purposes during the year, no fewer than 2070 organised parties from schools and other institutions having at-

tended the conducted tours, lectures, and kinema' displays dealing with Empire subjects.. / ' The exhibits have received additions from various oversea Governments as well as from private firms and individuals. The illuminated dioramas which' have done so much to popularise the galleries, have been increased by the addition of models illustrating sceties in Canada, Northern Rhodesia, India, Australia, and South Africa. There are now over 100 on view. The _ increasing interest in Empire countries is shown by the demand from school museums in the provinces for duplicate specimens of commercial products of Empire origin, and for literature and illustrations relating to them. To meet the demand for cheap illustrations of Empire industries the Imperial Institute has on sale 22 series of picture postcards prepared mainly with a view to their being used in schools.