SCIENCE AND DEFENCE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24902, 15 June 1946, Page 7

SCIENCE AND DEFENCE

N.Z. REPRESENTED AT CONFERENCES

LONDON, June 13. The Defence Science Conference at present in progress in London is one of a series of highly important scientific gatherings to be held in Britain in the next few weeks. The object of all the meetings, to a greater or lesser degree, is to mobilise the Empire’s scientific resources for defence and to meet post-war problems. Scientific leaders from Great Britain, the Dominions, and most countries of the Empire are taking part. The Defence Science Conference has been in progress for more than a week. One of its major problems is the decentralisation of Empire, scientific projects. It is intended that these shall be carried .out in whatever parts of the Empire are considered the most suitable. The Canadians are assisting with uranium research, the Australians are providing further facilities for other investigations, and an example of the New Zealand role is the Canterbury project for thd investigation of the effect of meteorological conditions , on radio and radar. New Zealand has been and will be represented at all meetings and a number of papers prepared by New Zealanders have been presented. Dr. E. Marsden, head of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial “Research, and Brigadier R. S. Park are the New Zealand delegates to the Science Defence Conference, and Dr. Marsden. Sir Theodore Rigg, Professor C. E. Hercus, and Professor Soper comprise the New Zealand delegation to the annual conference of the Royal Society. Agriculture and allied subjects have not been forgotten in these deliberations. Before dispersal the delegates to the Agricultural Research Bureau will review all Empire agricultural problems and devise means of furthering the interchange of scientific information among countries of the British Commonwealth.