FIELD FOR RESEARCH

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 282, 27 August 1942, Page 2

FIELD FOR RESEARCH

Dominion’s Thermal Regions

At a meeting on Tuesday evening of the Wellinglon branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, Dlr. S. 11. Wilson, of the Dominiou Laboratory, gave a paper on “The New Zealand Hot Springs Region, au Unexplored Field for the Chemist.” Research in this field, he said, was justified as a method of attlaek on the problems of volcanic activity. Applied research could give as aims the prediction of disastrous eruptions that were still a possibility, the utilization of volcanic steam for power, chemical products, and the bettor development of the various areas us health resorts ana tourist attractions. The speaker reviewed the methods and apparatus devised in the Dominion Laboratory for investigations in the thermal region, ami the large range of problems requiring research. This field had been neglected by the university colleges, most of the research carried out being academic work on minor points in world science, and was out of touch with realities in New Zealand. This country was exceptionaily favoure dfor such research, which would be valuable fo international science. In regard to applied research on the thermal region, Mr. Wilson said that casual investigations by branches of the Department of Scientific and Industrial liesearch were not; sufficient. A vulcanologieiil observatory was badly needed, and this might bo a part of post-war scientific recount ruction.