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Dr. Hammond's Visit. One of the preliminary steps taken by the Bureau was to recommend the Government to invite Dr. John Hammond, of Cambridge University, England, to come to New Zealand to report on the organization of animal research. Dr. Hammond arrived early in January and spent two months in the country, during which time he made a comprehensive study of the organization of the animal industry and the problems aSecting its efficiency. He made a detailed tour and paid visits to representative farms, freezing-works, and dairy factories. He spent a considerable amount of time at the research institutions and made personal contacts with research workers, advisory officers, and leaders of the farming community. On the completion of his tour Dr. Hammond prepared two reports, one embodying his recommendations for the organization of animal research in New Zealand, which has been submitted to the Government for consideration, the other dealing with problems of animal research, a report which will be of considerable value to the Bureau in its subsequent operations. Workers' Committees. Two workers' committees —the Cobalt Committee and the Mastitis Committee—have been set up under the Bureau. The Cobalt Committee directs the investigational work on mineral-deficiency diseases of stock, and consists of officers of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Department of Agriculture, and Cawthron Institute. The Committee has rendered excellent service in co-ordinating the various aspects of the investigational work and has afforded a valuable means for workers to discuss their related problems. A full account of the cobalt investigations is furnished elsewhere in this report. (See pages 000-000.) The Mastitis Committee was fortunate in having the services of Dr. G. J. Hucker, of the New York Experiment Station, who is an American authority on the disease. Dr. Hucker was visiting New Zealand through the offices of the New Zealand Dairy Board and the Department of Agriculture. He brought with him a very stimulating outlook and a broad knowledge of the disease. Largely as an outcome of his visit, the Department of Agriculture has made available to farmers a test for the early determination of mastitis infection and information for the combating of the disease. Sterility. Work on sterility in sheep has been under way at Massey College for some two years, and on the recommendation of the Bureau finance was made available to continue this work, particularly in regard to the bio-chemical investigations for which there was an urgent need. Co-operation with the Wool Publicity Committee. Representatives of the Animal Research Bureau met members of the Wool Publicity Committee to discuss and recommend the allocation of funds that the Wool Committee have available for research into problems relating to the production of wool. It is probable that a considerable volume of work will be undertaken in this connection during the coming year. General. The Bureau has been concerned in the initiation of surveys of the incidence of animal disease, particularly in the Canterbury Province. The Bureau's activities so far have been comparatively restricted, and its full function will not be realized until Dr. Hammond's report has been considered and the Government has decided what steps may be taken to provide an organization for combating the ravages of animal disease and for improving the conditions of animal production. WHEAT RESEARCH INSTITUTE. ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938. Advisory Committee : Dr. H. G. Denham (Chairman), Messrs. C. E. Boon, J. Carr, G. Fleetwood, J. W. Hadfield, R. K. Ireland, R. J. Lyon, W. W. Mulholland, W. H. S. Newsome, R. T. H. Norton, J. P. O'Connor, W. 0. Rennie, C. S. Sapsford, P. R. Talbot, and R. B. Tennent. Director : Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf. Staff. There have been no important changes in staff except that Mr. R. V. Peryman joined the Wool Research Association and was replaced by Mr. L. H. Bird, M.Sc. Mr. E. W. Hullett, Chief Chemist, spent nine months in America, Europe, and Australia investigating the methods there used in the testing of flour-quality. His report shows a critical insight into the fundamentals of the problem, and especially as it is affected by New Zealand conditions. He also made inquiries on the subject of artificial driers for wheat. Wheat-breeding. Cross 7, the new wheat produced by the Institute, was grown on 12,000 acres for the harvest of 1937. Its yield was 5 bushels above that of Tuscan. Its milling and baking qualities remain outstanding. In trials on a commercial scale bakers were unanimously of the opinion that the loaf produced was equal to that produced by Tuscan plus 10 per cent. Canadian. It is probable that the threshing for the harvest of 1938 exceeded 30,000 acres.

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