SOCIAL SCIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23107, 5 February 1937, Page 10

SOCIAL SCIENCE

ESTABLISHMENT OF BUREAU CONTEMPLATED BY MINISTER AID IN MAKING DECISIONS (Special to Daily Times) WEHEKA, Feb. 4. The establishment of a bureau oi social science to assist the Government in basing its decisions of a social character on scientifically established facts is contemplated by the Minister in Charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr D. G. Sullivan). “Although the larger aspects and implications of the scheme have not yet received the consideration of the Government we have already done a fair amount of the necessary preliminary work,” Mr Sullivan explained. “An officer of experience in this kind of work has for some time past been engaged in making a survey of the fields with the object of submitting to me a report on the activities now being carried out and by whom they are being carried out. This survey will, I think, show that already a good deal of social science work is being engaged in by such institutions as the universities, the Institute of Pacific Relations, and other bodies and individuals, and when we have this activity properly set out I am proposing to set up a Bureau of Social Science, whose duty it will be to co-ordinate the varied activities, eliminate duplication and overlapping, and direct as far as practicable the work of the investigating units. “In the past,” said Mr Sullivan, “a great deal of undirected effort has characterised attempts by Governments in all parts of the world to improve industrial and social conditions. Much work has been done by scientific men and sociologists generally, but it has usually covered large groups. It is apparent that) while the general level of wage rates, for instance, within a particular group may be reasonably satisfactory, there are inevitably large fluctuations within the group, and in such circumstances the root cause of our social ills remains untouched. "It is my desire as Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research to approach the problem from the standpoint of the individual, and to do so it will be necessary to coordinate research work in many fields. There is hardly any phase of industrial activity that does not affect the individual, and planning in the past has generally had regard for the maximising of production, whereas it is obvious that, if in securing this end the most important factor in the situation is neglected, the result cannot be regarded with any degree of social satisfaction. We must pay attention, therefore, to those influences that will ensure that our industries are conducted upon scientific lines, so that any injurious effects upon men and women who are forced by economic circumstances to follow laborious and monotonous occupations are eliminated as far as humanly possible. ■' “ This is essentially the field of the industrial psychologist,” said Mr Sullivan, “ and I believe that in this direction great reforms can be effected in many of our New Zealand factories and even in the more simple industries of primary production. The advantages here are twofold. Labour is lightened and production is increased, largely as the result of the eliminaltch of fatigue. Most of the countries have stopped at this point in their investigations, but there is work to do in the relation of the working period of the daily round to the period of leisure and home life of our citizens. This is even more essential as the working day is shortened, and alresidy there are indications that the problem of leisure is becoming intensified, while people are turning more and more to their homes and family circles. “Good homes are essential. This is vital, not only to our standard of life, but to the very maintenance of our national welfare. The housing scheme of the Government will help tremendously to effect improvements and make possible a happier condition of life, and it will be the particular work of the new bureau in its study of human relationship to furnish data designed to make the housing scheme as effective- as possible. Much valuable work in social research is carried out year by year by honours students in our universities. but the value of the work is often lost through so little real use being made of it. , I am hoping that the universities will co-operate with the bureau when it is established, thus ensuring that the work is directed to a definite purpose, that purpose being the provision of factual foundations on which to base national decisions relating to the social advancement of the people. Apart from the universities, there .‘S a number of organisations carrying out vital work that can be made much more effective under the proposed scheme. It will probably cover the work of Government departments, private industry, local authority administration, town planning such as housing and slum clearance, public health, cultural and physical education and other related activities. The bureau, of course, will have no executive authority, but its activity will not be restricted on this account. It will collect its data from all fields and prepare authoritative reports for the Government. It will form a valuable adjunct to the new Bureau of Industry ad will work in close collaboration with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Department of Health. “I think that the idea will meet with the approval of the Government, and from the inquiries I havemade I have every reason to hope that it will be readily accepted by the units now engaged in these at present unrelated activities.”