SCIENCE CONGRESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1923, Page 2

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

VARIOUS PAPERS. AUSTRALIAN AND 51.2. CAULK ASSOCIATION. MELBOURNE, Aug. 10. Professor Ewart, of Edinburgh, in outlining the history ol the merino sheep, urged experiments in Australia of a cross between the merino and the fat-tailed sheep of Asia, which subsist for drought periods for years on the fat of their tails, in much the same way as the camel on the store of fat in its hump. Dr Campston, in a quarantine paper, said that in IMS influenza was imported into Samoa from New Zealand, and it caused the deaths of *2O per cent of the population. Proper measures ol fpin ran line could prevent the overseas transmission of epidemic diseases. Island groups with maritime communication with Australia escaped in IMS, while groups communicating with New Zealand all suffered severely. The Science Congress discussed the shortage of timber for Australian requirements. It was stated Australia, is now importing in the shape ol soft timbers 42 per cent of her total requirements. The need tor planting these timbers was strongly urged on the ground that America and New Zealand are rapidly reaching a point when they must cease to exinirt timber. The conference strongly endorsed a decision immediately to organise a Commonwealth Solar Physics Observatory, confidently believing the results would fully repay the outlay.

Dr Carter, of the United States Health Service, read a. paper dealing with yellow fever, lie declared there was a danger of this fever finding its way directly to Australia. Such conditions existed in Australia ami the Pacific islands that, if yellow lever were introduced, it Mould propagate and spread indefinitely. At present ihe re was no risk of direct introduction, hut Dr Carter urged precautionary measures, particularly in view of the fact of vessels coming by the Panama route.