SCIENTIFIC "BOOSTING" OF INDUSTRIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12063, 19 July 1917, Page 6

SCIENTIFIC "BOOSTING" OF INDUSTRIES.

WHAT AUSTRALIA IS DO IXC!. The Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and Industry, a temporary bod.v established in April, 1910. says in i) report, ol its work that existing laboi a lories in Australia are not ordinarily equipped with apparatus for eotiducting '.large .scale'' experiments. Tlio exeouliy,. committee claims to have ascertained that the accommodation availably and the stafi and equipment of existing' laboratories in Australia are instifii< iont tor the carrying out of fundamental work, which must be done before many pressing problems can bo solved. It. recommends, therefore, the establishment ol a permanent institute, to increase the output of skilled specialists tor tho development of tlio primary and secondary industries of Australia. Tho committee, recommends lor the improvement of technical education and tli ( . training of artisans an inter-State conference of exports, but the Government lia.s informed the committee tlmt jt does not think such action desirable at present. After referring to tho result, of investigation work, the report emphasises that the loss ill tho agricultural and pastoral industries from attacks of [tests, paiasites and organisms causing disease, amounts t u millions of pound* >e,ul\ in Australia. Special committees have reported upon the tick pest, and have formulated linos of action with a lien to their control. A report which recommends a scheme for the control and eradication of the prickly pear pests has been presented bv the committee to the I'ederal Government. lu tho manufacturing industries special attention has been given to the improvement in tanning" methods, paper-making, the utilisation of Posidouia tibie (ol which there are immense deposits in Spencer's and St. Vincent's Gulfs, South Australia), pottery and clays, the manufacture of .solid-drawn cylinders for holding compressed gases, the design and manufacture of alcohol engines, the sterilisation of milk, and the. fermenting po» rof yeast. ]„ regard to the last-named, the results already obtained afford hope that they may have an important bearing on tlio solution of the day-baking trouble by reducing .the time of the dr/;igh in the trough. Tn regard to paper-making, th<> report, states that, in view of the present shortage of shipping, together with the increasing scarcity of papermaking materials throughout the world, the question of paper-making in Australia merits careful consideration. Tests of different, materials for this pur. pose should, the report adds., form a, valuable portion of the work of the botanical section of the permanent institute. and it will probably be necessary to erect a special pliant for tho. purpose similar to those already established in Germany, England, Canada, and the United States.