The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1917. SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1917. SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

In replying to a deputation of timber workers at Wellington last week, Sir James Allen said that the Government had not yet done anything about imposing restrictions on the. export of white pine, but if the facts were as reported it might be necessary to impose an export duty. It had been urged that the Government should take such action because it was calculated that supplies of white pine in the country would be exhausted in ten years, even at the present rate of consumption, and it would reasonably be assumed that the rate of consumption would increase in the future. The workers' deputation urged upon ine Acting-Premier that, instead of imposing aa export duty on white pine, the better plan would be to experiment with other timbers to take the place of white pine for the making of butter boxes. The deputation referred to tawa, which should be tried, for there were hundreds of millions of feet of this timber in New Zealand. Sir James Allen said the suggestion was one of great importance, and he hoped that it would be considered later by the National Efficiency Board. He hoped that soon it would be possible to set up a scientific research committee, which would be able to deal with such a problem as the substitution of materials the supplies of which were nearly exhausted. The proposal to set up such a committee had been before Cabinet, and he hoped that some action would soon bo taken. This committc;, when it was set up, would be able to deal not only with the timber industries, but also with other industries, with the establishment of new industries, the utilisation of waste products and matters of a similar nature. We trust the Government's proposal will get beyond "the steadily in view" stage, for there is enormous scope in this country for the activities of a scientific research committee. The war has taught us that we cannot continue along the old "hit or miss" lines, so far as utilising our enormous resources and advantages are concerned. No country of its &uu> » *a

liberally endowed in this respect as New Zealand, and nowhere has so little been done to exploit the natural resources, In any other progressive country the Government would have got right behind an industry with such prospects as the oil industry of Taranaki. It would have tested the field thoroughly, and encouraged in every way private enterprise. The Government of New Zealand has certainly done a little of late in the way of subsidising the oil companies, but it has only been tinkering with an industry that, if properly exploited, might mean millions sterling to tlm country. The same with the ironsand. We have in New Plymouth a company about to exploit a process which gives every promise of proving an unmeasured success. Had State aid been forthcoming before we might by this time have been independent of the outside world as regards iron and steel. The coal and limestone deposits of this province have never been adequately worked through lack of capital, yet the people are badly in need of coal and lime. Minerals of various valuable kinds abound in i\lr. Eginont, but lie there simply because capital is not available nor scientific men ready to deal with them, whilst water, in thousands of horse power, is running to waste. As for a substitute timber for white pine, it has been proved in Taranaki that some of the Australian pines could be used for the purpose. They are rapid growers and do well in land regarded as waste; but tree planting is essentially a matter for the State and not for the individual. If a start were made now, there is no doubt that twenty years hence ample supplies woald be available for the making of butter boxes. We consume about 10,000 tons of news printing paper yearly. There is no reason why we should not manufacture it here. On the West Coast there are reservations of suitable timber, only requiring the machinery to turn it into paper equal to the imported article. There are many other industries that could profitably be established in New Zealand, if we were alive to our interests. Germany's rise a? an industrial power can be attributed to its Government helping in the development of all its industries, the encouragement, given to inventors, and the scientific training of its people. To a large extent our future development is bound \ip in science and State encouragement and financial assistance, and that the Government is recognising the fact is a welcome sign. We will have a big load of debt to carry as a result of the war, and for that reason if no other wo must seek every means of increasing our wealth. Almost at hand we have many likely fruitful fields that are only awaiting investigation and exploitation.