AID IN WAR WORK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20916, 16 October 1942, Page 3

AID IN WAR WORK

DOMINION SCIENTISTS WIDE RANGE COVERED (P R.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Dominion’s scientific workers and equipment have been fully used during the year on a wide range of problems associated with the needs of the fighting forces and civilians, states the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister in charge of scientific and industrial research. In addition it has also been found possible to provide help by way of scientific personnel loaned to Great Britain, Australia and, other parts of the Empire. The j r ear has revealed the importance of scientific assistance to industry in a number of directions. The successful drying of low-grade butter and the preparation of dried butterfat of acceptable quality has enabled shipment in unrefrigerated vessels of quantities of valuable food material which previously could not be exported. Investigations in the drying of meat have resulted in the preparation of a foodstuff acceptable to Britain, while dried vegetables produced experimentally have possessed a quality eminently suitable for service requirements. The value of the New Zealand species of seaweeds has been demonstrated for the production of agar of good quality, supplies of which from their original sources were cut off as a result of the war., Valuable new information concerning the culture and curing of tobacco has been acquired and will promote the sound development of this industry, - The introduction of a new non-shrinkable treatment for„ woollen materials marks another noteworthy advance. Methods for the production locally in bakeries throughout New Zealand of supplies of yeast have eliminated the potential dangers which would arise in the baking industry through the interruption of communications. Coal surveys and investigations have helped greatly towards maintaining a high output and securing the optimum utilisation of New Zealand’s coal resources during the time of national emergency. Soil survey and grassland research are proving of direct advantage to the defence forces through information relating to mapping, topography, aerodrome- maintenance, and water supplies, while a magnetic resurvey of the whole Dominion is providing data of immediate value in connection with the war.