SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 828, 5 October 1916, Page 2

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

ITS INDUSTRIAL IMPORTANCE

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR EASTERFIELD.

An interesting lecture on "The Importance of Scientific Research in Industry and Commerce" was given by Professor T. H. Easterfield, of Victoria College, Welington, to a well-attended meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury last evening. Mr 1.. Birks presided.

Professor Easterfield remarked that most people be met said they believed in scientific research and having thus expressed a formula of faith thought they bad done enough. Of course, scientific research meant thorough investigation from many points of view and often involved experimental work. It was no exaggeration to say that every industry at present in existence had benefited to some extent directly or indirectly from scientific research—that was to say, from the application of scientific principles. He instanced agriculture. Very little had been done for agriculture before Liebig showed that by the application of potash and phosphates lands that were apparently barren became productive. Indirectly, Liebig's work in agriculture caused the coal-tar colour industry to arise in England, because when the British agriculturists understood the importance of Ihe application of chemistry to agriculture it was decided to open in England a Royal College of Chemistry. It was a nominee of Liebig's who was first appointed to the chair of that Royal College of Chemistry, and from that college the process resulted upon which the coal-tar colour industry was based. After tracing other developments from scientific research in agriculture, the lecturer referred to the valuable researches carried out in agriculture in New Zealand. As an instance of direct benefit, be quoted the investigation of "bush sickness" in the North Island. There was an area of so: ie one million acres in the Waikalo which grew good crops, of grass particularly. But if stock were placed on it they became in a few months so weak that they completely lost vitality, and they gradually pined away and died. It was supposed at first that this was due to some hidden bacteriological disease. After investigation by some Government scientists it was found that the cause was that the soil was mostly derived from an igneous rock which contained very little iron. There was enough iron for the grass, but the grass did not contain enough iron for the sufficient nutriment of the stock placed on it. It was found that stock which was given a lick of salt containing iron salt mixed with the salt remained healthy, while on adjoining paddocks stock not provided with salt pined away. That investigation put a million acres beyond fear of the disease. It was something which must make us think very deeply. There were probably dozens of problems in the industries of the country which should be scientifically taken up and examined. There was, however, he felt, no very deep feeling of the necessity of this in New Zealand. The amount which had been done in New Zealand by private individuals or public bodies to promote scientific research in regard to industry and commerce was not as much as we should expect in such a practical community as New Zealand.

The lecturer gave several instances, of British indifference towards scientific research. One concerned the War Office, which had reduced the salary of its principal chemist from £1250 to £OSO, and then to £350, in successive appointments. It was pointed out to the War Office that it could not expect to get anything like the best brains of the kingdom, in chemistry, at such a salary. When the war broke out, the War Office found that it had not got enough explosives chemists. About January, 1015, it advertised for temporary explosives chemists. Men appointed were expected to be graduates with honours in chemistry, or Fellows of the Institute of Chemists of Great Britain and Ireland, they must be experienced chemists, and they should have had experience in research work. The salary offered was £2 0/(5 a week! The speaker knew of two big manufactories in Great Britain which took university graduates, men who had already published research work which would stand for all time, and paid them £IOO a year, and then kept them to their laboratories and prevented them from going into the works to see the result of their investigations. That sort of thing was not confined to Great Britain. A member of Parliament in New Zealand had approached him and asked him to undertake an investigation of the serious possibilities of everything which was entering his constituency. The reward j was to consist of a "good advertise-1 ment" for the speaker and his college. A large borough council which! was going to spend £30,000 or £40,000 | in a new water supply asked him; to report on the relative values of water from three sources, and suggested that 30/- would be a very suitable remuneration. Somewhat similar treatment from a Government department was also instanced. If this was the kind of tiling which occurcd with a borough council, a Government department, and a member of Parliament, there must be a I very large section of the community j which did not appreciate the value of scientific research.

Professor Easterfleld also spoke of the lack of appreciation of the necessity for boards of directors of industrial undertakings to have scientific knowledge. He drew alienlion to the fact that the board which the British Government set up lo investigate the dye question does not include a single scientific man. II was this spirit which had cost Great Britain the loss of many industries,

such as the coal-tar colours industry, in the past. But for little Switzerland coming to the rescue with dyes, it would also have cost her the weaving industry. He combatled the idea that only research work likely 1o lead to direct industri'al'jwalue should be undertaken. It was'' a most, remarkable fact 'that many investigations which had led ultimately to trade developments were at first investigations which did not appear likely to have any such effect. Tiie speaker instanced the discoveries of Faraday and Davy, particularly the discovery of benzine, Faraday's elec-tro-magnetic discoveries, and the discovery of the refrigerating processes. Diverging to the cry for more leaching of science in our schools, the cry that if science were taught good results would arise, the lecturer pointed out that everything depended on what was taught and who taught il. He dwelt upon the necessity for experimental and research work. While he advocated that the leaching of science should he widespread, he would rather see some other subject taught, if it were taught well, than that science should be taught if it were taught badly. Good bread needed baking. The teaching of science should be line upon line, precept upon precept, little upon little, basing everything upon that which went before. Unless they

V!Ml t n non that principle there was very little hope for this movement. Dealing with the financial sH» of research work, the speaker pointed out thai some large linns put money aside for research work before a dividend is paid. He believed that was done by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, which certainly found that research paid. He instanced the need of complete research into the Hax industry, in which seven tons of flax are required to make a ton of fibre, leaving waste, which was unscientific. The kauri gum industry was also referred to as another field for research. As for the way in which the money was to be found, he did not like the spirit of going to the Government. He believed the Government should help, when an industry was not on such a large scale as to be able to devote a portion of its proceeds to scientific investigation. But it would be wiser for the industries that could afford U to pav for their own research work. He thought that there should be a research council in Christch'urch to help industries in this matter.

The speaker also dwelt upon the fact that to produce the best results there must he in New Zealand a large and central library of scientific literature, so that investigators might refer to all the earlier researches and not waste time in reaching points that had already been reached. Reverting again to fhp cost of work, he suggested that it might be a first charge upon the industry which is benefittino- D v the reasearch.

Mr Birks said that the Council of the Institute had taken up the matter, and had appointed a committee on the subject, but the matter was 100 big to be decided at one meeting or two.

A little discussion followed. Mr John Anderson expressed his opinion that if the mechanic went hand in hand with the scientific chemist they could make a great country of New Zealand and a great Empire of the British Empire. Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., considered that the Government had made a grave mistake in starving original research by such paltry grants as £250. He Iwelt upon the carriage of meat and dairy produce as an instance of scientific, research conferring a tremendous benefit upon industry and commerce.

I)r C. Chilton spoke of the need of altering the menial attitude of the nation toward science, which was viewed too much as a hobby instead of as an essential method. The chairman proposed a motion to the effect that a public meeting should be called to follow up the matter. Mr G. T. Booth, however, considered that the council of the institute might evolve some scheme to take a definite lead, in company with some body representing industries. The matter was therefore referred to the council for consideration and action.

A vole of thanks was heartily accorded to Professor Fasterfield.