AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. THE SCIENCE CONGRESS. RESOLUTIONS AND WARNINGS. (Received this dav at 1.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE. August 16. The Science Congress adopted resolutions urging upon countries bordering on tlie Pacific, the importance of uniformity in the publication of maps and the rapd progress in the survey of the ocean lloor. recommending co-operation by each country undertaking such work in its respective region. Another resolution expressed tlie urgent necessity tor a geodetic .survey of Australia. In connection with papers dealing with insect: jests, it was stated that the low estimate of Australia's loss from the wood borer was three million sterling annually. The pests were being imported in foreign woods which proved a deadly menace ill other countries.

A strong note of warning was also uttered against the danger of importing animal diseases. The discussion on agt ieultnral research stressed the value of the results thereof and the need for | re-sing forward research and education in agricultural subjects. In the Geodetic, section, Doctor Branch, of Batavia, announced that a tidal movement had been detected in the solid i-rtist of the earth.

In the anthropology section, Professor Lubberton. of Tokio ('university, dc l'ired that it was a mistake to think the Malayans and Polynesians were a people of tile past and were fast dying out. A census of the Malay Archipelago showed ever-increasing returns. The population now totalled over fifty millions. However. Australasia need fear no overflow of population from Java, which easily led its people.