THE INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1919, Page 5

THE INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

DUTY ON CIGARETTES. ENCOURAGEMENT OE SCIENCE. JJy Telegraph. —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Before the Industries Committee, -\lr 0. Craig, assistant Controller 01' customs, said the duty ou imported eijjuretea was £1 03 lid per IUOO (a rise 01 as per 1000 siiice tue beginning ot the war); excise on cigarettes made in New Zealand from imported leaf (including duty of is) was a total of 7s lid per pound (equal to ISs 9d per 1000). 'J'liis was a protection of 8s Dd protection for cigarettes made in bond in New Zealand from leaf grown in (he Dominion was equal to lis i)d per iOUO. There were .110 cigarettes made in bond by hand, though there was a protection of Is (id per 1000 in favor of sucli cigarettes as against those made by machinery. Professor Easterfield said that New Zealand had suffered for the lack of encouragement of science. People did not know what science could do for them There wag no doubt that New Zen land had the right young men to train. New Zealand's seientic men were known throughout the world- He referred to a number who had achieved the highest status as experts in subjects, and men who had very high positions in other countries. New Zealand was losing these brilliant brains because of the lack of appreciation of science. He referred to the need of a real scientific library in New Zealand. He believed that local Advisory Committees would not require payment except for the actual cost of research work undertaken in the public interest. The grant for a general scheme of research should be statutory. He believed the proposed Board could he very beneficial to New Zealand. It was absolutely necessary to have eneourasrement of pure science and practical science. He did not know of anv commerlallr successful process of obtainln« industrial alcohol from wood, except when the industry was a side line of the wood pulp paper industry.