INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1931, Page 5

INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY

NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE OPENS '

VALUE OF CHEMIST IN INDUSTRY.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Nelson, Last Night.

The fourth annual conference of the New Zealand section of the Institute of Chemistry opened with the annual general meeting to ? day. Fifteen delegates representing all parts of New Zealand were present. Dr.' J. K. H. Inglis (Otago University) was in the chair, with Mr. W. A. Joiner as assistant secretary. The following were present: Messrs. Donovan and Andrew (Dominion laboratory), Scott and Franklin (Lincoln College), Dr. Denham (Canterbury College), Dr. Annet (Imperial Chemical Industries, Hamilton), Lawrence, Glendinning and Stewart (Wellington), Fielder (Auckland), Stewart (Wellington), Professor Eastcrfield, Dr. Askew and Sim (Cawthron Institute).

The annual report showed the membership had increased by six during the year, making the total number of members 46. During the yeai- a special committee was elected to prepare evidence which was submitted to the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in connection with the present condition and development of secondary industries. . A, statement descriptive of the profession and embodying the natural aptitudes and educational requirements was sent to th© Minister of Education with a request that it might replace the paragraph under the title of “Analysts and assayers” in the educational guidance pamphlet. It was recommended that the statement be used when members of the general public ask for information concerning the profession in New Zealand. The section had suffered a great loss in the death of Mr. A. M. Wright, who died during the last conference. Mr. Wright was one of the 1 most . valued members. He displayed the same keen interest in the institute’s affairs that characterised his professional activities. In the course of his presidential address Dr. Inglis said: “At the present time it is the duty of everyone to endeavour to bring to an end the state of depression from which the Dominion is suffering. As it is not possible for our small country to control the world markets our only course is to reduce costs, and one of the ways to do this isto increase efficiency. Many chemical and industrial processes have proved a failure until some changes have increased their efficiency, or some use .was found for otherwise waste products. This indicates one of the way's in - which the chemist can be of use. In some industries the chemical 'side seems to be relatively unimportant, but the nature of sound chemical training is such that even in these industries the chemist can be of great help in controlling the various processes.”