SCIENCE CONGRESS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 327, 11 January 1911, Page 5

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

By Telegraph. -I'res* Assoc: ati<m.—Copyright Sydney, Monday. The 12th session of the Australia Association for the Advancement of Science opened at Sydney University to-day, under the presidency of Professor Masson, of Melbourne, over 50 delegates thoroughly representative of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, participating. Received January Jl, 12.00 a.m. Sydney, Last Night. Mr Sutton, the New South Wales wheat experimentalist, read an appreciative paper on the work of the late W. Farrer, the wheat expert. As a result of Farrer's efforts in Australia they could now grow strong, as well as white, wheat, and need not fear the disastrous ravages of a rusty season, as they did before Farrer's success was achieved. I'rofessor Fowles, of Brisbane, read a paper on the unemployment problem. He reviewed the history of legislation in different countries which deal with the question, and pointed out, as far as Australia was concerned, there was very little unemployment. On the contrary there was a scarcity of labour in a number of trades. Referring to New Zealand he said the Dominion's Department of Labour more than justified itself. The Labour bureaux in Australia and New Zealand were of exceptional value in directing workless men to work. The past four years of prosperity had resulted in almost all applicants finding permanent work.

i Mr -J. Stonham, of the Victorian i Statistical Bureau, read a paper on statistical sidelights on Australian j morality. Statistics showed Austrai lia was sharing what practically appeared to be the world-wide tendency to restrict the birth-rate. The average number of children per married mother was between three and four, while the potential average was estimated to range from five to seven. Without further inquiry, however, ; he could not raise the cry of race : suicide. After reviewing some causes usually associated wi'h restriction, he : pointed out that the death-rate was ; rapidly declining', so that the problem ! of the world's food supply must, even at the present rate of natural increase, sooner or later become acute. Could it therefore be said that Nature herself was providing a too rapid increase, by a limitation of production? Dr Norris, Commonwealth Director of Quarantine, in the course of an exhaustive paper on public health ideals, said diseases and death were the price man paid for his violation of natural laws, and his preference for half truths, instead of precise scientific truth, was but one way 1 out to deeper water. Knowledge in relation to nature and to man should ; be studied and a deliberate unswervi ing application of that knowledge to i human problems. He strongly urged I the claims of science and hygiene.