BRITAIN'S DANGERS

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1948, Page 5

BRITAIN'S DANGERS

(N.Z.P.A.-

— . Reuter ,

Need To Plan For Long Food Shortage

Copyright)

Received Tliursday, i .45 p,m. LGNDUN, Bept. 9; ' Sir lienry Tizard; chairman Rf tbe; Governnient 's delence research. poiicy and 1948 president oi the British Association, called I-or a spirit oi adventure and ojT ealculated risks in science, in his inahgural * address to the British. Association meeting at Brighton. He said the world population was now increasing by one per. cent per year and it was donbtlul whether the supply of lood eould ' keep pace even with the present iow standard of nutrition. "1 don't think the danger of. the present position is yet fully realised," he said. ''Bcientific experiments* in progress are unlikely to lead to a new substantial source of food^ within the next 30 years. Britain nmst plan on the assumption that food will' be botli scarce and dear for many years to conre," Sir Henry said experts agreed that Britain 's production of food could be raised by 20 per ccnt •within five years bu{ even then Britain would need to import food for 20,000,000 to 25.000,000 people unless there was a large outward ' movement of population. 1 It should be remembered also that in another 70 years or less the world 's population might be doubled.pIt was Britain 's bounden ■ duty, in order to safeguard lier f'uture food imports, to develop seientifieally her colonial terridories. Sir Henry said no new seientific discovery would benefit British industry so quickly as the application of what was already known, For example, the production of atomio power could ilot bring such ecoiiomic henefits udthin 20 years as the practical application of known methods of economising coal. Aeronautics also need bold and skilled .engineering rather than fundamental knowledge. This, if successful, would enable air transport to, compete on level terms with train and ship for long distance travel, instead of existing' on subsidies. Britain nmst raise her standard of technology. She nmst have more industrial executives with a seientific education or lose her place among the great manufacturing nations. •