SCIENCE COUNCIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5070, 31 December 1926, Page 1

SCIENCE COUNCIL.

ERADICATION OF WEEDS. CAWTHRON INSTITUTE RESEARCH At the second meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research the chairman (Mr, G. Shirtcliffe) outlined the progress that has been made#. This was the first meeting since the return of the permanent secretary (Dr. E. Marsden) from Australia, where he. collected a large ’amount of information regarding research work there. In making his report Mr Shirtcliffe said that since the last meeting several matters referred to committees had been under action. With regard to investigation of noxious weeds, particularly blackberry control, this had been placed in .the hands of Dr. Tillyard, and would be centred round the Cawthron Institute, but would be done under the general direction of a committee of the council. A first-class entomologist had been appointed field entomologist for work in Nqw Zealand. Full details could not, be worked out until Dr. Tillyard’s return in about a month’s time, but it was satisfactory to note that the Cawthron Institute, the Department of 'Agriculture, ,and the Scientific Research Department would work in active, collaboration. DEFICIENT PASTURES. With regard to research into mineral deficiency of pastures, a problem of animal nutrition which has become so important in the raising of stock, •Mr Shirtcliffe said that arrangements had been made by which Mr Aston, of the Agricultural Department’s Laboratory, would take general charge o'f the work, and the preliminary stages of this would probably be carried out pn the pastures of the Waikato pumice lands and in. the Manawatu and Nelson districts, where extensive soil surveys had already been made. It. was probable that the major portion of the. work would be centred round the chemical laboratory of the Department of Agriculture ; but certain aspects off the problem would be attacked from the Cawthron Institute. SEEDS AND PLANTS. The committee had been actively engaged investigating .the question of a seed and plant .diseases station and the qvidehce collected showed that considering the large economic stake involved, an urgent and concentrated attack on plant and seed diseases and breeding was called for. The committee had considerable discussion as to the method of control of the proposed research institute. A report would be presented Tor consideration. With,regard to research in fuel, th© Wellington members, o'f ithe committee had had several meetings with the Unjler-Secretary of Mines, and a valuable. report by Dr. Maclaurin, of the Dominion Laboratory, had been prepared and circulated amongs.t the ■ members of the council. RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS. The council would also be asked to approve of suggested regulations for •National Research Scholarships. One of the. best services they could do for the promotion of scientific reserach was to'facilitate the training o'f scientific research workers, and the proposed regulations for national research scholarships should be a step in .that direction. With regard to dairy research, t a full survey of the situation was not yet completed, pending further discussion with the Director of Agriculture and the Director of the. Dairy Division. In conjunction, however, with officers of the 'Agriculture Department a survey of i the position as to the treatment or mammitis and abortion had been made.