SCIENCE AND ART

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 143, 12 March 1919, Page 4

SCIENCE AND ART

MEETING OF, THE BOARD ! THE PROBLEM OF INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH The Board of Science and Art met at the Dominion Museum yesterday. TheHon. G. W. Russell (Minister of .Internal Affairs) was,in the-chair, and the members present were: Professor A.' P. W. Thomas, Dr. J, Allan Thomson, and Messrs,. H. ]?.. von Haast and C. A. Ewen.

Tho Director of tho Museum (Dr. Thomson) reported'that a.-meeting of the Historical Committee had been held last year to approve of details of the proposed register of oarly. colonists.. An attempt had been made to obtain from England the manuscript of "Brunner's Journal,", but it was ascertained by the. High Commissioner that the copy. used by the Royal Geographical Society was a nqwspapor from Nelson, 60 that the original manuscript, if still extant, is probably in New. Zealand. "It. is worthy of consideration," tho report continued, "whether the board should not recommend tho publication of a 'New Zealand Journal of History.'" * The response to, the appeal -made for documents relating.to the early history of Now Zealand had not-been encouraging, and it appeared that no great progress could be made until the Dominion Museum had a suit-able braiding for, the preservation and display of such records. Tho material that had been obtained- included newspapers, maps,. portraits, photographs, and letters. Perhaps tho most -valuable are , tho blocks ueed-in printing the stamps for tho Great Barrier Pigeon Service, established in .1897; and two Maori letters dated 1837. An.encouring eign of a renewed interest, .however, was the formation of an historical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society. The magnificent bequest to the nation or .tho Turnbull Library would go far to stimulate this interest. The Director stated that it was desirable that the archives now in possession of the government- should .be made accessible to students as soon- as possible. The librarian in charge of the Turnbull Library (Mr. J. Andersen) reported that the library contained over .30,000' bound volumes. 'The work of. classification, cataloguing, and indexing was now proceeding. Those books and pamphlets that had reference to New Zealand.and Austflilia were being dealt with first,.as it was anticipated that tlieso were the ones most likely to be of ueo to. the public. The work of classification, etc., was eo extensive that- it was. impossible to anticipate at the. present tpe when the library would be: available., for public US The 'board considered -'a- r'oporthon -.'the subject of-'■ industrial and-scientific search. The report mentioned that at intervals during the past; war the *ej Zealand Institute Scientific and Industrial Research Committee, set up at the request of the Notional Efficiency Boaid, had been in communication . .with; tne Minister of Internal-Affairs -concerning a Dominion scheme of scientific ami industrial research... and the undertaking of a census of- past research, actual problems of -induste awaiting solution, and of available-laboratories and research workers Last month the Board of Govemois of the New Zealand Institute- resolved: "That tbe-Jlinieter of Internal Affairs be asked whether he can now make further communication on the matter of the- census of industries." The Minister recently replied that the "Census of Industnal Ma ufacture" will be taken for tho year ending March 30, 1919, and thereafter annually. A deputation from the Standing Coinmittee.thereupon wnital on _the Minister and pointed out that tho census o hdustrial manufacture,, taken by the Government Statistician, would be of g,eat "a no, but did not cover theground contemplated. - The Minister stated that ne considered that tho Board of Science and Art-had .more statutory power than tho No v Zealand Institute'to conduct such ai inquiry on scientific and industrial research- matters as had been pro"The'Minister of Internal Affain pointed out that beyond the preparation of an an.mial cen "us he could at present do no--1 hi"f u t er He was however, prepared SiS the ott was over, and thfe board as a position to enter upon a more ambitious stage of the work, to-bring the mntler before Cabinet at its next meetnK The effect of the annual census, n-