FARM RESEARCH

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 448, 2 June 1937, Page 2

FARM RESEARCH

ATTACK ON SYSTEM Lack Of Expert Workers Press Association —Copyright. Christchurch, June 2 Dissatisfaction withr the present system of agricultural research in New Zealand Has already prompted the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers’ Union to p’epare a remit for the Dominion conference of the union suggesting a co-ordinated scheme. After an attack on the present reg-torch methods by Mr. Alan Leslie, formerly veterinarian at Canterbury Agricultural College, the branch .executive decided to seek the

support of other provincial executives tor its proposal. Almost negligible achievement, lack of expert workers and ill-defin-ed spheres of activity were alleged against) the Government research organisation by Mr. Leslie when he addressed the executive. He referred to wool research and said results were not being produced partly because there were too many littl e organisations and partly because of inexperienced research workers. Mr. Leslie criticised the absence of any distinction - bfween practical service to farmers, the application of existing knowiadgo. and the conduct of research where new kn"w_ Ldge had to be cs'abii ;hei to cope with the farmers’ problems. Test of Research Work. “The real test of research work is the U mount of real new stuff that is turned out, not secondhand stuff, and you could write ail th e new stuff produced here on the back of a class card,” said Mr, Leslie. “It would take 20 volumes to hold all that has' been said about what is going to b e done. You must ask for a definite ruling on who is doing the research work in this country land who is giving the vice,,- and you must stand out for one department doing th e research and one giving the service. “In New Zealand we have a lot of research workers, ’ but they are al! beginners, and not experienced men. Take the wheat Research Institute—not long lego it appointed an expert chemist) from Canada. That man has now’ left to take up a more lucra. tve position, and they have appoint)ed two juniors. That laboratory is now further back than it was when it started. . They . started with an ex_ Ptrt and now all the threads are lost after years.” Disjointed System. The Plant Research Station had no geneticist. There were men to do this work in t|ie country, but they were separated", stationed in Auckland, at Palmerston North and at Lincoln. The whole thing was disjointed. There were too many little organisaions. The W heat Research Institute should not be separated from the Plant Research Staton: it had the only geneticist in the country. of experience and standing. There were numerous cases of lack of co-operation. Nothing at all was being done in the country about dairying diseases. The department gave th e assurance if it was tasked, that something was being done, but there were no results. The result was that the farmers had come to the conclusion thait research work was unsatisfactory. In this -they were correct.