SCIENCE CONGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 202, 15 January 1913, Page 5

SCIENCE CONGRESS.

\ AGRICULTURAL QUESTIONS. ' ORPHAN ANNUITIES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne. January 14. At the Science Congress Mr. A. Riclil ardson read a piper on wheat improvement. He said the time was not far distant when wheat would be sold on grade, like butter, fruit and other proi dure. The product ion of drought-resist--1 ir.g varieties was a problem of peculiar ! importance to Australia. Mr. Richardson said that the improved methods of wheat culture had placed the wheat industry of the Commonwealth in a very secure position. The Hygiene and Sanitary Science ) section decided to urge the Governments of the Australian States and N'ew Zealand to hold a conference of the chief medical and veterinary officers with a view to reporting on uni- • form measures for the control of tuberi culosis in cattle and pigs. ( A discussion took place on general problems of soil fertility in Australia. Several papers were' read on the suo- - jcet. The general opinion was that fertilisers in Australia were seldom worked out on cultivated land, and practically the whole of what was not used up by the crop remained as permanent additions to the soil within nine inches of the surface. Mr. Smith. Acting-Government Statistician for New South Wales, read a paper on the cost of orphans' annuities I in Australia. He stated tw, a t Hie age of 43 nine out of ten men in the Public .Service of New South Wales, and eight out of ten in the Commonwealth were married. The number of children under the age of sixteen to 100 males ; between the ages of -21 and 70. in the Public Service of New South Wales was 132, and in the Commonwealth 127. Amongst the general population of New South Wales the number was 78. VALUABLE WORK DONE. Received 14, 11.45 p.m. ~ . Melbourne, January 14. The Science Congress has ended. Professor David claimed that in the importance of the papers and the value of the work done it surpassed any previous Congress. THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINE. SAFEGUARDING THE LANGUAGE. Received 15, 12.50 a.m. Melbourne, Janaurv 14. The Science Congress adopted'recommendations that in view of the rapid decrease of the Australian Aborigines it was important in the interests of science to secure further records illustrative of their beliefs and customs. It favours a strict enforcement of the law against the indiscriminate export of scientific specimens. The Congress appointed a committee to consider the best means for the security and efficient teaching of English pronunciation in Australian Universities, colleges and sehools. | THE MT. LYELL DISASTER. ! ■ A GRAPHIC PICTURE. Doctor Love, in a paper dealing with the North Mount Lyell disaster, said that a large number of the victims lav peacefully with their heads pillowed on their arms and their bodies composed as for sleep. Others were standing in airJ boxes with air playing on their dead J faces, their eyes bright, their cheeks j rosy and their lips as cherry red as I those of healthy infants. Mr. Purely, Chief Health Officer for Tasmania, stated that as a probable result of the disaster the recommendation of the Transvaal Mining Regulations Commission of 1010 would he adopted throughout Australasia. This would include the provision of one oxygen knapsack and pump, an airmask and two oxygen breathing apparatus of an approved type for each miner.