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1929. NEW ZE A L AND.

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Hon. Harry Atmore, — 25th September, 1929. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department for the year 1928-29. E. Marsden.

ANNUAL REPORT. The progress that has been made in the various activities of the Department during the past twelve months relates to the consolidation of the activities already organized, the co-ordinating, planning, and organizing of the necessary personnel and apparatus. Fair progress has been made in actual investigational work, and important results of no little economic value have been obtained ; while, as a by-product, the various investigations have led to a healthy discussion of the problems involved, on a more factual basis. The results of investigations have been published in the form of bulletins or in the Journal of Science and Technology and Journal of Agriculture. In the report that follows information is given as to what has been done and as to what it is proposed to do. Investigational work and results obtained therein are not discussed in detail, as information of that nature is given in the various publications referred to above. The annual reports of the Dominion Laboratory and Apia Observatory are published separately, as in previous years. THE COUNCIL. The Council has held regular meetings at two-monthly intervals, and, except where members were temporarily absent from the country, there have been full attendances. The members, originally appointed for a period of two years, were reappointed on the 15th February, 1929, as follows : — Mr. George Shirtcliffe, 0.8. E. (Chairman), Wellington. Professor Henry George Denham, M.A V D.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, Canterbury College, Christchurch. Mr. Quentin Donald, Featherston (Deputy Chairman). Professor John Malcolm, M.8., Ch.B., Professor of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin. Mr. Theodore Rigg, M.Sc., Assistant Director, Cawthron Institute, Nelson. Mr. Charles W. Rhodes, Manager of the New Zealand Mines Trust, Auckland. Mr. Hugh Vickerman, D.5.0., 0.8. E., M.Sc., M.lnst.C.E., Wellington. Dr. E. Marsden (Secretary). The activities of the Department are concerned with a wide range of problems, and to secure the efficient treatment of each it has been the policy of the Department to establish Advisory Committees comprised of representatives of the various industries and Government Departments, educational bodies, and others interested. To these Committees wide measures of direction and control are given, as it is considered that by this means investigations directed by those in whose direct interest they are being made, and who are themselves contributors, hold the greatest prospect of reaching both economic and scientific fruition. It is felt that by the adoption of this arrangement the closest measure of co-operation between science and industry will be maintained.

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