WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH,

(Special to “ Guardian.”) AVELLTN GTOX, .May 25. Conclusions of great importance to agriculture in all parts of the British Umpire are in the report of the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference which was held in London in October and November last. 'flic conference, the first of its kind, was attended by repress utatives of every British possession, and undertook a comprehensive survey of every aspect of agriculture. As a result it is believed that foundations have been laid for the ultimate creation of an effective British Agricultural Commonwealth. In a survey of the work accomplished the (..Itairman (Lord Blodisloe) said: "There has been no conference of an Imperial character which has been more harmonious, more definite in its objects. more constructive in it’s deliberations and decisions, or more calculated to contribute to the solidarity of the Empire and materially affect its future prosperity.” Agriculture, the report points out, is hv far the most important within the British Empire; even in England and Wales alone, with their urban conditions, the annual agricultural output reaches the surprising sum of £225,000,000. The Empire’s agriculture is also representative of a vast range of conditions and problems. It is practised in some of the .hottest and coldest, wettest and driest, the most fertile and apparently the most barren parts of the world. Almost every problem that confronts the industry was examined in detail by the conference, which recommended that the only means by which improvement can be achieved and problems solved is research. Continuous and intensive scientific investigation, it is pointed out, offers the only means by which output both in amount and quality, can be increased and costs of production cheapened. Three important schemes arc recommended by the conference: The sotting up throughout the Empire of a chain of agricultural research stations, the creation in Britain of clearing houses'" on information in agricultural science, which shall serve the whole Empire, and the recruiting, training, and interchange of scientific workers in agriculture for the whole

Empire. On the first question the conference recommended that the research stations should he established according to the needs of research on particular subjects' rather than by consideration ol geographical distribution, and that they should confine themselves to the broader aspects of research. It is estimated that the annual sum necessary for the maintenance of each station will he £20,000. As a preliminary it is recommended that five stations be established in Queensland, East Africa. West Africa, Ceylon and the Federated .Malay States. A central station for irrigation problems, and one for copra and sugar research are also considered necessary. Already several of the projects are being actively carried out. Two Imperial clearing houses for information, one for entomology and one for mythology, already arc in existence, but it is recommended that further bureaux should be established for soil science, animal nutrition and animal health. It further is recommended that smaller clearing houses, or correspondence centres should bo established lor ani-

mal genetics, agricultural parasitology, plant genetics and fruit production. The amount necessary for the maintenance of these is estimated at £20.000 per year.

On the third subject-, that of recruit ing and training, the regulations relate to the standards and requirements of an Empire agricultural service and recruiting for it, chiefly by means of a scholarship scheme for brainy students. The recommendations regarding “study leave” and interchange of workers are of special interest. It is considered that facilities for “study leave” are essential to the success of the agricultural service proposed, that existing facilities generally are inadequate, and that provision to make “study leave” possible is an urgent necessity. For the consideration of special subjects the conference appointed eleven specialist committees. In view ol the success achieved by the conference it was unanimously decided that other gatherings should he held at periods of at least five years.