WORK OF THE DAIRY INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 33 (Supplement)

WORK OF THE DAIRY INSTITUTE.

ORGANISATION OF RESEARCH DAIRYING AS A SCIENCE VALUABLE RESULTS ACHIEVED This and subsequent articles were supplied by Dr. H. R. Whitehead, bacteriologist to the Dairy Institute, Palmerston North.The Institute was founded in 1927 as a branch of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, under the conti ol of* a management committee including representatives of both the Government and the dairy industry. It was located at Palmerston North in close connection with the Massey Agricultural College, the object being to avoid the necessity for duplication of buildings and farm. The Institute is now able to use the milk produced frorh the college herd under carefully-controlled conditions, and to conduct research in the experimental factory during the summer when the building is not required for teaching purposes. A certain amount of duplication of staff is also avoided; the research workers are able to keep in close personal touch with students taking courses in dairy manufacture, and to place, before the students the results of research work. A member of the Dairy Division’s instructional staff is also included on the staff of the Institute. The Institute is the counterpart in New Zealand of similar research organisations which have existed in America and European countries for many years. The object of all such institutions is, broadly, the development of the processes of dairying from the stage of an art to that of a science; in other words, to provide knowledge which will give the dairy worker some understanding of the processes which he utilises and which will give him a greater measure of control over those processes. The foundation of the Institute was a recognition on the part of the industry of the necessity for an orderly investigation of problems by the scientific method. As a matter of fact, although the industry in this country has in the past successfully embarked on many new developments, the knowledge underlying these was directly due to scientific investigation in other countries. New Zealand butter makers and cheese makers deserve every credit for their alacrity in selecting and adapting promising innovations emanating particularly from America. They proved -themselves very alert to the possibilities of improved apparatus and methods; and, with the assistance of the Dairy Division’s instructional officers, were able to mould the progress of the industry to suit New Zealand’s individual requirements. There is a limit to the degree to which the results of work in other countries can be utilised; and in any case leadership, in an industry can never be gained or maintained by waiting on others to provide the requisite knowledge. The functions of the Dairy Research Institute should not be confused with those of local service laboratories. The Institute is a national one; and its duty is to investigate the main problems confronting the dairy industry; to extend existing knowledge on those problems rather than to apply knowledge, already to hand. It should be recognised that if the Institute is to fulfil its true function it should be left frpe to dehl with problems which affect the industry as a whole. The Institute, in conjunction with the Massey Agricultural College, has quite a representative library dealing with matters connected with the industry. Thus, in addition to the research work undertaken at the Institute, the results of work in other countries have become more yeadily available.

Though these reviews which follow cover the main activities of the Dairy Research Institute since its establishment, they by no means give an adequate idea of the whole of the work going on. Research has to explore many possible avenues of usefulness, some of which may prove unprofitable; and the Institute has always to be on the alert to see the possibilities of new developments. It is well to bear in mind that it is an important function of an organisation such as the Institute to act as a clearing-house of information and as a place where new knowledge is collected for use when the occasion arises in the future. Knowledge which appears to have no practical application to-day may be the key to the position to-morrow. The Institute has also found it necessary to do a considerable amount of educational work. There is no power to compel those engaged in the technical side of the industry to adopt modifications and improvements in technique. Education and persuasion is necessary. The workers of the Institute are in touch with students many of whom will occupy managerial positions in the future. In addition to this, factory managers are invited to visit the Institute for a week during the month of May in each year. This meeting serves as a valuable point of contact between those at the Institute and the practical workers of the industry, on whom lies the responsibility for putting the latest developments into direct application.