H.—34,

WOOL MANUFACTURERS' RESEARCH ASSOCIATION. Wool Manufacturers'' Research Association Committee. —Mr. W. R. Carey (Chairman), Professor H. G. Denham, Mr. T. E. Donne, Mr. H. Lee, Dr. R. 0. Page, Mr. T. C. Ross, Mr. W. L. Wood, Dr. E. Marsden (Secretary). Director.—Professor F. G. Soper. Despite the ever-increasing pressure under which industry has been working during the past year, it has shown an excellent co-operative spirit with the Association in its activities. Two committee meetings and a meeting of dyers from mills in the South Island have been held. Quarterly bulletins have been sent to all members. From a prepared list of suggested investigations members decided, at the beginning of the past year, upon what particular work the Association should concentrate. Two large-scale mill trials have been carried out in which several woollen batching oils have been compared, and arrangements are in hand for the carrying-out of further trials. Reports of the trials are being circulated to members as the work progresses. The purpose of this work is to find the best New Zealand produced woollen batching oils and to compare these with well-known imported ones. Other work in the mills, in addition to that carried out during the periodic visits, includes a detailed piece-scouring investigation, and the study of variability in woollen carding and spinning. Some of the important laboratory investigations during the year have related to dyeing and fading, the comparison of unshrinkable treatments, and the analysis of many samples of neatsfootoil with the view to mill trials being carried out to test its suitability as a worsted lubricant. The mill trials on the batching oils have also involved much laboratory work. So that the Association might be of greater service to industry, Mr. R. V. Peryman by courtesy of Imperial Chemical Industries (Australia and New Zealand), Ltd., spent a month in their dyeing laboratories at Melbourne studying the investigation of dyeing problems. As a result, a number of useful connections have also been established with other institutions. Consulting work carried out in the laboratories has included the investigation of the causes of stains, chemical and physical damage, uneven dyeing, fading, and structural irregularities, and the analysis of products, such as chemicals and oils, used by industry. Sunlight fading tests are being carried out in which the fading properties of many members' samples of dyed fabric are matched against the British Tentative Standards. During the year a cloth tester has been installed in a constant temperature and humidity room, and recently a shrinkage tester has been acquired. By means of the latter equipment, which is that specified for the British Tentative Standard test, it will be possible to measure the resistance to shrinkage of textiles in the same units as those used for similar tests in the United Kingdom.

RESEARCH WORK AT AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. Grants were made by the Department during the year to Massey Agricultural College and to Canterbury Agricultural College for a number of projects, which are reported on below. CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Pig Research. Professor C. P. McMtcekan. Research under this heading was transferred from Massey Agricultural College to this institution as from the Ist January, 1940. The consequent subdivision of the nucleus experimental breedingstock (Cambridge inbred pigs) and the lack of necessary facilities at Lincoln limited activities during the year. Work has been directed mainly towards multiplying the three breeding-animals obtained, to organizing and developing facilities, to acquiring laboratory and field equipment, and to training technical assistants. At the same time work on several projects has been proceeded with. Influence of the Sex Glands upon Growth and Development. These experiments have been advanced to a stage permitting publication, and a full report is in preparation. Significant effects upon the form, anatomical composition, histological structure, and efficiency of feed utilization of the bacon pig have been demonstrated. Many of these have important practical implications. Inbreeding Studies. One previously unrecorded lethal condition has turned up in the Cambridge Whites and some indication of mental defects has occurred. The work has been extended to the Tamworth breed and an inbred strain established which already carries a high degree of inbreeding intensity. In general, results to date indicate that inbreeding in pigs is not necessarily characterized by the dangers commonly attributed the practice by farmers.

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