PURE SCIENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1931, Page 7

PURE SCIENCE

VALUE TO INDUSTRY. PLEA FOR MORE SUPPORT Results of experiments carried out in the realm of pure science in New Zealand during recen t years ; nd the resultant improvements in stock and the various products of the land were exi plained to a large gathering of commercial travellers on Saturday night by Dr. H. G. Denham, Pi o estor of Chemistry, at Canterbury College when the Canterbury Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen’s Association celebrated “Association Day.” Dr Denham made an appeal for closer co-operation between science and industry, and urged that financial support should be given as generously as possible in the interests of pure science. There were certain aspects of science which could be made interesting to the man in the street, Dr. Denham said. Looking over the last 100 years r.jno could marvel at the results of the work of such men as Faraday and Sir William Ramsay. When pure science was,* applied, practical science follow d, and if any of the members had any money to leave to the. scientific word they would be well advised to remember the claims of pure science. ELEMENTS IN GRASS. It was believed until quite recently that grass was only grass, sfid Dr Denham. Then it was found that the ash from burnt grass contained smal qauntites of many substances. One was iron, so necessary to life. Experiments conducted with pigs showed the necessity for a full supply of iron until the young animal could fend for itself. Phosphorous and lime were other elements that were vitally necessary to catetle. Sulphur was present in wool and its annual export in wool from Australia, per year, represented an astonishing quantity. Australian experiments of feeding sheep on various compounds had produced much bigger flocks. If th fodder was sufficiently rich in the vital substances, we_ll and good, but if it was not the animals would be subject to all sorts of diseases. RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS. In certain parts of Nelson sheep die not thrive and it was found that the main source of the trouble was a deficiency of lime and phosphorous in tin* soil and, therefore, in the grasss The difficulty had now been overcome bj top-dresing, with chemicals Three years ago '• it was discovered ths't margarine was becoming a serious competitor ivitli butter, but a great obj.ee-, ..tiop to margarine .at Home \yas,,tha,t,,i.t contained no vitamins—only fat. Vita mins were now being put into margarine and the product was increasing s r steadily that it affected New Zealand butter strongly. New Zealand) had missed an opportunity in the cheese market. The Dominion could produce the milk but had not spent enouhg money on understand ing the principles of the manufacture of cheese and therefore her gooo. name as a manufacturer was far below that of ten years ago. Some tinn ago New Zealand put out standardised cheese, hut tne English market* did not want it. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were spent before the Dom inion woke up and realised that Ener land could not be forced to take v hat she did not desire.

THE LEATHER MARKET. Turning to another product, no one' could produce a diner pelt than New Zealand, said the speaker, out he had seen a very damaging report of tin consignment sent Home—-a consignment which almost caused the lcs;. of the mar ket. A leather chemist was thev brought out from England and a grea; improvement in pelts was the result of his investigations. In one year the value of New Zealand leather increased by £32,000. The whole thing was a sane tackling of the subject. New Zealand was now realising that if she war to compete successfully v.iih other countries she must mend hoi' ways. The Mayor, (Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P.,) remarked that he hopet'l that tin New Zealand Government uould Ik able to place more money at the disposal of people engaged in work such as that referred to by Dr Denham.