AUSTRALIAN WOOL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16914, 1 April 1929, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN WOOL

RESEARCH WORK IN BRITAIN CANBERRA, March l). In the textile centres in Great Britain research work is being carried, out with regard to Australian wool, according to statements made by ■Sir G. A. Julius, director of the Commonwealth Cour.cil of Scientific and Industrial Research, in the course of evidence before the public works committee to-day. Sir G. A. Julius stressed the urgent necessity for the 'immediate construction of the botanical laboratory at Canberra, which is the subject of the committee's investigations. At the present time, he said, a committee was sitting in England to determine whether the Empire Marketing Hoard should be established in Australia, the Punjab, or in Palestine, and many arguments had been advanced to show the suitability of Australia. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research was at present engaged on research work in connection with the pineapple and banana diseases in Queensland, and many other subjects, of importance to the Commonwealth. The trouble with his organisation was that the subjects for research were so numerous that it was difficult to determine the principal problem, on which to concentrate. He was satisfied that Canberra was the best place in which to locate the proposed institute. On the block, set iside it was proposed to have erected buildings for botany and entomology divisions which were estimated to cost in the vicinity of £62,000 Later consideration would be given to the question of provision of a division for forest product and health research. Animal health was another question which would later be dealt with, but that would involve the securing of an area of 600 acres outside the city. Research work in regard to prickly pear and efforts to combat the pest were proving eminently successful.