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H.—34,

SECRETARY'S REPORT. The Hon. I). G. Sullivan, Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research Department. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department for the year 1938-39. E. Marsden, Secretary.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research held six meetings during the year. The personnel of the Council is as follows :— Professor H. G. Denham, M.A., D.Sc., Ph.D., F.1.C., F.R.S.N.Z., Professor of Chemistry, Canterbury University College, Christchurch (Chairman). Dr. J. C. Andrews, Ph.D., M.Sc., Freezing-works Manager, Auckland. Mr. A. H. Cockayne, 1.5.0., Director-General of Agriculture, Wellington. Professor J. Malcolm, M.D., Ch.B., Professor of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin. Dr. R. 0. Page, D.Sc., Tannery-works Manager, Christchurch. Mr. G. A. Pascoe, Department of Industries and Commerce. Mr. J. M. Ranstead, Matangi, Farmer. Professor W. Riddet, B.Sc.(Agric.), N.D.A., N.D.D., Massey Agricultural College. Sir Theodore Rigg, M.A., M.Sc., F.1.C., F.R.S.N.Z., Director, Cawthron Institute, Nelson. Dr. E. Marsden, M.C., C.8.E., D.Sc., F.R.S.N.Z. (Secretary). Professor J. Malcolm, who was a foundation member of the Council, retired during the year, and his resignation was accepted with very great regret. I desire to place on record, on behalf of the Council and the Department, very warm appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Professor Malcolm over a period of some ten years, which includes the important developmental stages of the Council's work. Dr. R. R. Milligan, of Christchurch, was appointed by the Hon. Minister to fill the vacancy created by Professor Malcolm's retirement. During the absence of Mr. A. H. Cockayne in England Mr. E. J. Fawcett acted 011 his behalf. Mr. T. TI. McCombs, M.P., M.Sc., attended meetings of the Council as the special representative of the Hon. Minister. Following the presentation by Dr. John Hammond of his report 011 the organization of animal research in New Zealand, numerous discussions were held between the Departments of Scientific and Industrial Research and Agriculture and other interested scientific institutions and farmers' organizations regarding the implementation of Dr. Hammond's report. It was decided to establish an Agricultural Division of the Research Council as provided for in the Scientific and Industrial Research Amendment Act, 1931, for the purpose of implementing as far as was practicable the recommendations contained in the Hammond report in regard to animal research, and at the same time to direct and co-ordinate the activities of the Plant Research Bureau and the Soil Survey Division, which are close! v interrelated with problems of animal production and nutrition. The personnel of the Agricultural Division" of the Council was as follows Representing. Sir Theodore Rigg .. .. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Cawthron Institute (Chairman). Professor H. G. Denham .. Chairman, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research {ex officio). Mr. E. J. Fawcett .. .. Acting Director-General of Agriculture. Professor W. Riddet .. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Mr. Norton Francis .. Council of the School of Agriculture. Mr. J. D. Ormond, jun. .. Meat Board. Mr. C. A. Marchant .. "1 . Mr. A. Linton .. ' .. j-Darry Board. Mr. W. Mulholland .. New Zealand Farmers' Union. Mr. Alan Grant .. .. Farmers' Representative. Dr. E. Marsden .. . . Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Secretary). Three meetings of the Agricultural Division were held, at which research work in relation to animals, plants, and soils in New Zealand was fully reviewed, and an Animal Research Management Committee was set up to consider and submit proposals for the implementation of the Hammond report. Three sub-committees, dealing respectively with sterility, parasitology, and sheep diseases in Canterbury, were set up by the Animal Research Management Committee, and following upon their recommendations grants were made to Massey College and Canterbury Agricultural College for specific animal research projects.

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