The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1931. SCIENCE AND THE STATE.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1931. SCIENCE AND THE STATE.

Wukn business is depressed, the wise I manufacturer overhauls Id's methods; I so as to cut down expenses and iurprnve quality. He does this with two objects—to enable liim to weather tiic storm and to take advantage oi the line weather that will soon follow. The depression that is hanging over this country should make individuals and companies and the Government think more about preventing waste and developing resources,. It should make them realise the importance oi scientific knowledge and learning generally, anti their application to private and punlie problems. Jt is therefore especially desirable, considers the Auckland Star, that attention should he drawn to an address that Dr. Marsden, Soeretar. ol the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, gave in Christchurch last week on •‘The L'niversity in its Relation to Industry.’’ No one is so well qualified to speak on this subject, for he is the permanent head of the Department created for the very purpose of promoting research. Dr Marsden spoke impressively of the neglect of the community to make proper use of the University, whose colleges have been turning out graduates for fifty years, and receive about a thousand new students every year. That the University system itself may be partly responsible for the present state of affairs may be conceded, but that much of the personnel trained there is first-class, the careers of Lord Rutherford and the late Dr Richard Madam-in —to mention two out of many New Zealanders who have distinguished •themselves abroad—show clearly. Dr Marsden cited a plan of co-operation between science and industry developed by Dr. MacLaiirin at the Boston Institute of Technology. The ability is here, but the community has not learnt to value and use it. Several examples of only partially explored fields in primary industry were cited in this long and able address on a wide subject. According to Dr Marsden. we are only just learning the biological chemistry of cheese-making: we do not know the exact composition of the numerous chemical compounds in our butter; we do not know the protein changes of meat in storage; and we know the constitution oi only lft per i nt of the content of our kauri <rum. “What t bailee is there of uniform, high-quality products until such times as these and similar problems are cleared up?" Tt is only fair to sat th a t. a good dead of headway has been made in the last few years. For one thing, nrivnto industry is beginning to use the University-trained expert. But we are still largely in that stage of conservatism where the “practical man is considered sufficient for all needs, and the theorist is distrusted, fn comment on this address the Christchurch

“Press" remarks that representative experts of the University have not been asked to help in the present national economic crisis. The State itself, adds the ••press,” is “sluggish, unscientific and anti-scientfic,” and we fear there is only to much truth in the indict-

meat. Academic training and culture are not valued in high, p,laces as they should he, and the community is apt to mice us cue jrum the Government.

“During my travels abroad.” said Dr Aiarsi.e.i. '‘l foil ml aim,si without exception that the industrial comerns which were weathering the depression were those witn highly qualified scientific staff-, used ms an integral pail of the business” But u, is not a matter only of improving the output of certain industries, important though these arc. Dr Marsdcn’s address raises the whole question of the place of higher education in national life, wheuier or not it brings ponderable result.,.