LIMITATIONS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Chronicle (Levin), 30 August 1946, Page 5

LIMITATIONS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

-Press Association

By Telegraph —

WELLINGTON, August 29. Dealing with the scope of science in Xew Zealand, in $ presidential address to the eombined conference of the New Zealand lnstitute of Cheniistry and New Zealand seetion of the Royal lnstitute of Cheniistry of Great Britain and Jreland, Dr. .1. C. Audrews, president of the New Zealand lnstitute of Cheniistry, said there appeared to be certain limiting faetors. Some of tliese were: — • (1) Finance with particular reference to salaries and equipiuent. (2) Opportuuities were niore limited in a sinai 1 eountry. (3) Eaeilities were often liinited and precluded the talcing up of certain lines of investigation. (4) Stimulus was laeking in as mneh as there were rarelv niore than oue or| two workers in any field of researeh. (.1) Scientifie approacli: As }'et a large nuniber of those person s responsible for production and public fa.fi li- ; ties, have not aequired tliis approacli to their problenis. (6) Public. reeognition and support: Tinless Ihe conimunity as a wliole was interested in science, it eould not flourish and give that service which was an integral part of civilisation. i (7) Xatural resources: Xew Zealand had few mineral deposits. This fact' precluded our producing indnstrial raw niaterials. ; In dealing generally with Ihe scientilie effort, Dr. Andrews said the out- • standing opportunity for developmenl. ; in this eountry seenied to lie in the production of tiniber and liinber resources. One felt there was a great opportunity for researeh investigation into the proeessing of certain exotie, , timbers in order to produce satisfae-j tory building material from sueh sourcea. L