PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1916 SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 144, 11 February 1916, Page 2

PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1916 SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down auaht in malice

One great effect ot the war is that Britain has taken definite steps to harness science with industry. On 7th May last year a very influential deputation representing the leading scientific societies, and headed by Sit William Crookes, as President ot the Koyal Society, expressed their views to the British Ministers. The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Kuneimati, and the President of the Board of Education, Mr Pease, on behalf of the Government, expressed full agreement with the deputation's proposal. Mr Kunciman said that "the Board of Trade fully appreciated the extent to which national progress is dependent upon the utilisation of the services ot men ot rcienee, and the importance ol provision for the thorough training oi a very much larger number of industrial chenisls than are at prtiniit available. He agreed with the views expressed as to the need ot closer co-pcration between manufacturers and scientific workers and teachers. Tbe war had shown the weakness of our position." Mr Peass stated that the Government had Blreadv decided on practical steps, and that "a scheme had been approved in principle to which substantial additional assistance would be given by the Government to scientific education and industrial research." On May loth Mr Pease ai nounced this echemc to the House of Commons, ard the speech he th:n delivered will live in history. In his opening sentences he stated the essential lacts in definite terms, thus:—

"The war has brought home to us and to our notice that we have been tar too dependent for very many processes and many materials upon the foreigner, and we have realised that it is es-

st-utial, if we are going to maintain our position in the world, to inak<' better use of our scientifically trained workers, that we must increase the number of those workers, and tint we must endeavour to Eeeure that industry is closely associated with our acientiric workers, and promote a proper system of encouragement of reseaica workers, especially in the universitiea. The fault in the past, no dnubt, li;h been partly due to the remissness on the part of the Government in failing to create

also, I think, been due partly to the universitie?, which have net realised how important it is that pure science ought to be utilised with applied science, and brought into close contact with manufacturing interests. 1 think it was also partly due to the fact that the manufacturers themselves undervalued the importance of scierca in connection witb their particular industries. It was partly due, too, to the fact that the ratepayers have been too [niggardly in making provision in connection with their tecnical institutions and colleger." Mr Pease's scheme was adopted and further developed by his successor in the Cabiret, Mr Arthur Henderson, the Labour leader, by whom a full statement was issued as a White Paper in July. The main points have been Blatcd thus:—(l) Parli?mennt to vote annually considerable sums for scientih'c and industrial research. (SJ) The expenditure to be administered by a special committ-re of the Privy Council, acting on the advice of a small council of selected representatives of pure arid applied science, with an administrative chairman, {'i) This advisory council to keep itself in touch with the manufacturers on the one band, and the universities uul scientific workers on the other, and to promote their co-operation; to seek the opinions of Ecientitic and industrial specialists; to ascertain and determine the particular industrial problems which await scientific research, and to arrange for their investigation by C:e moßt competent persons in the universities or elsewhere; to advise the Pi ivy Council Committee as to necessary expenditure on each research; to advise as to provision for ths increasa of the supply of skilled investigators by the establishment of research fellowships or otherwise, and as to the establishment or development of special laboratories tor the study of industrial problems. This scheme is now in operation. It is in the bands of highly competent men, and great hopes are ent:rtained tor its effect on British industry generally. The war has certainly had one good elfect in turning the nation's attention to the supreme importance of industry and checking the decline that made Britaia dependent upon foieign countries for certain ot her material necessities of life