SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1815, 18 April 1918, Page 4

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

Addressing t)ie meeting of the Otago branch of the Educational Institute recently, Mr J < Loudon (chairman of the Otago Harbour Board) said he wished to enter as strong a plea as he could for a more liberal recognition by the State of scientific , research work, particularly as it co-ordinated with commerce and manufacturing. A great deal had been done in this direction, and much money spent in assisting the agriculturist, but it seemed to him that the ruling powers were obsessed with the idea that the man on the land was the only member of the community who required encouragement and assistance. Here they had a country unsurpassed as far as climatic conditions and latent resources were concerned, and yet when anyone suggested the establishment of an undertaking involving industrial development he was invariably met with one of two objections either that “labour would kill it,” or that “New Zealand could never be a manufacturing country.” In his humble judgment, both were entirely erroneous, and arose from the lack of sympathy shown by the present and past administration, in that they had neglected to give original research work its proper place in the educational system of the Dominion. It was true they had State analysts, chemists, etc., but their efforts largely partook of laboratory processes which ended there, and they came little in touch with genuine manufacturing and commercial interests. What he felt was required was that home system should be evolved whereby the fullest use could be made of their science students, and he need not remind them that New Zealand had in the past turned out brilliant sons who had attained world recognition in the fields of science. He had been told of able young fellows in Dunedin devoted to science whose, outlook from a bread and butter point of view was not cheerful. The labour and ability of men should not be lost to the people and the State, as they would be under existing conditions. Hitherto their most brilliant men had either left the country or entered the profession of medicine, not from choice, but from necessity. That should not be. Surely it was not too much to ask that post-grad-uate positions carrying £SOO or £OOO per annum should be found for, say, six or eight of their best science students for a period of live years, and that they should devote the whole of their time and talents during that period to practical reresearch and experimental work in the direction of the full and best utilisation of the country’s natural resources and by-products and the elimination‘of waste as far as possible in all industries, It such a scheme cost even £IOO,OOO per annum, he felt convinced it would be the best investment the country ever embarked in. Ornate edifices and a costly administrative were totally unnecessary. Inexpensive buildings with adequate mechanical equipment to ensure tests and experiments being carried out on a thoroughly scientific and sound commercial basis, should be the primary considerations.