CALL FOR RESEARCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 252, 14 January 1928, Page 23

CALL FOR RESEARCH

BRINGS RICH RETURNS VIEWS FROM U.S.A. "It would seem unnecessary to argue that the prying eyes of research should be brought to the aid of any industry, least of all, agriculture. For every dollar we have spent on studying the problems of agriculture the return has been in fabulous dividends.” This quotation, from an article by Secretary W. M. Jardine, in the “Country Gentleman.” U.S.A., can be applied with almost equal force to New Zealand. Secretary W. M. Jardine, in his article, complains that very little is being spent on science research in agriculture in the United States relative to what industry in general is spending, and still less compared to the insistent needs. He points out that to-day a single industrial corporation in the United States “pours out for its research programme a sum greater than the whol© Department of Agriculture research budget.” After emphasising the necessity for research in the problem of pest prevention and pest control, Secretary Jardine says: “It is not enough merely to hold our own against the encroachment of the destroying factors of Nature. To hold foreign markets for our surplus products we must meet competition from other lands. We can meet this competition only in the studied development of methods of production, which will allow growers, while still maintaining high American standards of living, to sell at a price which cannot be met by less ingenious peoples.” He maintains that “science research must open the way to that efficiency and economy in production which will allow us to maintain a strong position in the world trade in agricultural commodities, and thus keep our huge farm investment operating to capacity in the face of world competition.” Another quotation from the article; "Is there a cheap, practical way of making over-poor land into rich land? - The time is not far distant when we shall require this knowledge to meet the needs of increasing populations.” Finally, Secretary Jardine says; “Centralised research in agriculture, supported by all the people through taxation, is a co-operative endeavour, the good outcome from which touches so vitally every home in the nation that th© farmer can rightfully demand national support for its unstinted pursuit. Experience has shown that the research dollar is not only invested in a gilt-edged security, but one at the same time producing a national dividend beyond computation.”