The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 31st, 1923. PAN-PACIFIC CONGRESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 31st, 1923. PAN-PACIFIC CONGRESS.

In the course of little more than a single generation the attitude oi the public. towards science has undergone a profound change. It is rot so very long, comments a Sydney writer, since the attention paid to it in the schools and universities was perfunctory. The popular conception of the scientist was a hiutnless, absentminded eccentric, who conducted mysterious investigations that, however interesting they might be to him, had no Ijearing on the workaday affairs of life. If his discoveries could he immediately translated into terms of practical utility the man in the street would be impressed. That sort of research was worth while. But the layman did not sufficiently appreciate de function of pure science ns such. He did not realise that it was the loundation of every one ot " the achievements of applied science, and that knowledge, pursued for its own sake, also often yields results of incalculable benefit, to the human race. When the Greek pkilo-ophers first propounded the revolutionary doctrine that the world was a glol*> we may presume that it caused no great stir outside the circles of the elect. It left the ordinarv citizen cold. Round or fiat —it made no difference to him one way or another. Yet this theory was to * have momentous consequences. It the world flat, U'cn it- followed that, the intrepid explorer who arrived at the edge must either return or step off into space. But if it was round, then by keeping steadily straight on he* must eventually come back to the place from which he started. So too, if the world were round, it followed that any given point could be reached bv t'vo diametrically opposite routes.

it was this that prompted Columbus to seek China and tho Erst Indies across the Atlantic. We Know now, no matter h„w abstract, how npjareutly remote from lite a discovery in t.’ie field of pure science may be, "o can never say that it will not lie put to practical account. This truth Si. Duvid Masson enforced in an address at t-iio inaugural meeting of the I’unPaoific Congress in Meloourne. T;.c aims of puic and applied science ;> •« essentially different; but the two :re complementary, and the votaries are iellow-labouKvs in the service of humanity. No longer, moreover, dees the investigator work independently guarding bis secrets jealously like the medieval alchemist, and relying upon Ids own unaided efforts to add to the sum of knowledge. Nowadays co-o[e-ratiou and organisation tile the ’u!e. .•scientific research nas become largely a matter of team work. Results are brought into common stock, data are collated, progress is continually reported. We have a fine example of this spit it of co-operation in the Pan-Paei-iic- Congress, which is now fitting. The purpose of this gathering is to act as a sort of clearing house for scientific information. It offers an opportunity for the exchange of ideas which must otherwiso have been communicated by --C, more dilatory medium of tieausoa and proceedings of learned societies. Its function is to discuss problems of special interest to the Pacific areas and to lav plans for future research. As Sir David Masson olmorved, while alt ole participating countries "ill benefit, lucre are two reasons why Australia may look for especial profit. Since tho Congress is meeting in Australia, its deliberations will attract, to a greater extent than if it were held elsewhere, the attention of the Australian public and of the authorities who have thi» power to help or discourage cooperative ventures in science for Die common goad. Further, in scientific efforts. Australia lias more to learn from the older nations than they have to learn from her.