PLANT RESEARCH STATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 18

PLANT RESEARCH STATION

DR CUNNINGHAM’S RESIGNATION PROTEST AGAINST WORKING CONDITIONS (Per United Press Association) PALMERSTON N., November 29. “ I am sorry to leave, but I am compelled to adopt this course because of the failure of the Director-general of the Department of Agriculture to improve the wretched conditions under wffiich I and my officers have to work,” said Dr G. H. Cunningham, Director of the plant protection section of the Plant Research Station, one of the leading scientific workers of the Dominion, in referring to his resignation which becomes effective to-morrow, Dr Cunningham having given notice three months ago. He will leave shortly for Australia and will probably proceed to England later.

. Despite the strong representations by the Dominion Fruitgrowers’ Federation, who expressed the opinion some time ago that the loss of his services would be calamitous, also by numerous branches of the Farmers’ Union, the Government has not succeeded in retaining Dr Cunningham’s services though it is understood that negotiations are still proceeding. Dr Cunningham’s reason for resigning was outlined by him in a letter to the New Zealand Orchardist and Fruitgrowers’ Journal in which he said his resignation arose out of the refusal of the Director-general to remedy the unsatisfactory position in the plant research station. Requests had’been made for the reorganisation of the station with the definition of the duties of the officers. The letter alleged that part of the station’s finances were being squandered in instructional work instead of research. No clerical service was provided.

Regarding staff grading the letter says “ The staff consists of officers of the Departments of Agriculture, Scientific and Industrial Research and the State Forest. Although carrying out comparable work they occupy many different grades and are in consequence paid varying salaries. This leads to considerable dissatisfaction.”

Regarding salaries it was contended that the officers engaged in research were paid much lower than instructors, yet their training was more arduous and intensive. No attempt had been made to remedy this till after Dr Cunningham’s resignation had been submitted. It was also stated in the-letter that the staff was housed in two old buildings. These were overcrowded and were quite unfitted for laboratories. v All requests for more suitable accommodation had been met with an attitude of indifference. NO COMMENT TO MAKE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OP AGRICULTURE. (Peb United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 29. When Dr G. H. Cunningham’s comments regarding the wretched conditions at the plant research station were referred to him. Dr C. J. Reakes, Directorgeneral of Agriculture, said that he had no comment to make except to state that the last Public Works Estimates had contained a vote for improvements, and plans were now under consideration. A vote of £SOO on account appeared in the Public Works Estimates for the current year. Dr Cunningham waa born in Otago in 1892 and received his academic education at Victoria University College, where he took the degrees of master of science and doctor of philosophy. He joined the Department of Agriculture in 1917, and two years later was attached to the biological laboratory at Weraroa. Since then he has been Government mycologist continuously, being transferred to the plant research station at Palmerston North in 1928. Dr Cunningham was elected a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute in 1929, in which year he represented New Zealand at the Imperial Mycological Conference. Dr Cunningham served at Gallipoli during the war and was wounded a fortnight after the landing on April 25, 1915. He is a specialist in plant diseases and systematics of New Zealand fungi. His publications include “ Fungus Diseases of Fruit Trees” and 75 papers.