THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1919. ONE WAY TO FOSTER INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 119, 13 February 1919, Page 4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1919. ONE WAY TO FOSTER INDUSTRIES

It_ is an accepted truism that the continued prosperity of this country is dependent upon its ability to maintain production at a high and constantly rising level. Admittedly there is no oiher way in which we can expect to meet under satisfactory conditions the greatly increased burdens of public indebtedness and obligations left by the war. In the circumstances it is strange that there should be neglect of any obvious_ method of stimulating and assisting the profitable development of existing industries and opening new. fields of industrial enterprise. A definite example of such neglect appears, however, in the failure of the Government to take any. practical step towards encouraging and co-ordinating scientific research as it bears upon industrial development. Authoritative' recommendation on this subject has been before Cabinet 'for more than a year, but, as Dr. Allan Thomson mentioned in giving evidence the other day before the Industries Committee of Parliament, New Zealand is practically the only Alliedocountry which has not established an organisation to bring science into closer touch with industry. It ,should be noted that this statement applies to other British Dominions -as well as to European nations and America. Not only arc the United States, Britain, France, Italy, and dther countries vigorously promoting scientific research on a national basis as an essential means of aiding and promoting industrial expansion, but Canada, Australia and South Africa are all working actively to the same general end, though under conditions in each case varied and adapted to local requirements. The Governments of all three Dominions are promoting and financing scientific researches of far-reaching importance as they bear upon industry. The New Zealand Government as yet has done nothing in this direction. It would, of course, be foolish to suggest that New Zealand should at once launch out into lavish expenditure on scientific research. As matters stand, bur industries cover no great range, and- limits are set to the possibilities of expansion and development by our small population. Any national expenditure on scientific research must necessarily be proportioned to the circumstance's of the country and to the profitable results, likely to accrue in the comparatively near future. But in abstaining from any expenditure on such activities the Government is undoubtedly lagging behind . the times, and is not so much saving money as wasting. and neglecting opportunities of promoting a material increase in production. The exploitation, of some nf -the natural resources with which this country is endowed must no doubt be deferred until a later time, when the population has materially increased. But it should not be overlooked that there are possibilities, -nerhans highly imriortant possibilities, of directing _ the labour and capital now available to better .purpose and with more profitable results than are at present attained. Scientific investigation directed to the utilisation of by-products and waste materials, for instance, is constantly opening up new avenues of profit. The point was made by some members of the Industries Committee on Tuesday that a certain amount ot scientific work of. a kind directly helpful to industry, is already being carried on in New Zealand. Scientific 'experts are attached to a number of Government Departments and some research work is undertaken under the auspices of the New Zealand Institute and in other ways. It can hardly be contended, however, that as a whole these activities cover all that is necessary for the time being in this country. Broadly speaking, what is urged by those who are .endeavouring to awaken the Government and the public to the wisdom of reasonably encouraging scientific research is that there is scope in Now Zealand for a national organisation which would co-ordinate existing activities, extend the' work of scientific investigation into fields now ncg-' lected, and bring the Dominion into effective touch with similar activities abroad. As to this last point; it may be noted that as long ago as March, 1916, the British authorities controlling scientific and industrial research circularised the Governments of all the oversea Dominions inviting each Government to constitute some body or agency having functions similar to those of the Advisory Council which acts for the United Kingdom. In a report which they jointly submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs in 1917, Mr. G. Hogben and Dr. Allan Thomson stated that the British memorandum laid stress on two points: "First, any body or agencies instituted for the purpose should, under .their respective Governments, have realty responsible functions and substantial authority; secondly, a close connection should be maintained between these bodies and the public educational systems and institutions of their respective countries." Practical shape was given to these broad suggestions in a report which the National Efficiency Board submitted to the Government in January last year. The report embodied with slight modifications the recommendations of a special committee of scientific men and representatives of industrial and other bodies. It proposed the establishment of a Dominion Board of Science and Industry to consist of a Minister, a salaried Director, and four other members, of whom two should represent science and the others industry. Provision was made also for the creation of Local Advisory Committees, one in each of the * four chief centres, and the report further recommended that Parliament should be asked to allocate a siirrTof £100,000 to be expended by the Board of Science and Industry at its discretion during a period of five years. The fact that it has so long had these clear-cut proposals before it'makes it all the more difficult to assign a rational motive for the Government's apathy iij the matter. The recommendations endorsed and presented by tho Na-

tional Efficiency Board are not necessarily the last word in regard to the lines on which research should be endowed, but there is evident force in the contention that in activities of this nature free scope must be given to qualified experts, and that such financial provision must be made as will guarantee the continuity of their investigations. It is fairly clear that in neglecting any longer to make the modest provision asked for- the Government would show poor regard for national interests.