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Departments in all parts of the Commonwealth, the U.S.A., and a number of other foreign countries, and in some fields there is direct and active collaboration. The Scientific Liaison staffs of the Department in London, Washington, and Melbourne play a most important part in keeping New Zealand abreast of overseas developments and in promoting contacts which are to the advantage of scientific progress locally. Nevertheless, however good are the results accruing from all these means of collaboration—and the results are good indeed—there is still something lacking which can be supplied only by direct personal contact and exchange of ideas between scientific workers in New Zealand and their fellow-workers overseas. It is most important, therefore, that a policy should be pursued whereby numbers of selected scientists are each year sent overseas to study and acquire inspiration and techniques from their counterparts in other lands where experience is longer and facilities greater than they are in New Zealand. The value of personal contact with scientific workers overseas is fully recognized in other Commonwealth countries, and I strongly recommend adherence to a policy whereby scientists in New Zealand are afforded opportunities of meeting and working with their fellows overseas. There is evidence that such a policy pays handsome dividends. There alwaysi remains the problem of the appropriateness and adequacy of the research and scientific work actually being done in New Zealand. Are present efforts inadequate or out of balance or disproportioned ? Are fields being neglected in which the assistance of science would bring considerable advantage? These are questions which continually concern the administrative officers of the Department, and in which they receive valuable guidance from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, which constantly keeps under review the Department's activities, and which provides the Department with helpful and greatly appreciated constructive criticism. It is fitting here that I pay tribute to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for the important role it undertakes and the very real help its guidance has been to the Department. It is equally appropriate to acknowledge the debt which the Department owes to the Advisory Committees of the Council for the constant effort they have devoted very effectively in the best interests of the work with which they have been directly concerned. RESEARCH COUNCIL The Research Council met on five occasions during the year; in addition, there have been many committee meetings. The membership of the Council is as follows: T. Rigg, K.8.E., M.A., M.Sc., F.R.1.C., F.R.S.N.Z. (Chairman). J. C. Andrews, Ph.D., M.Sc. (Deputy Chairman). N. L. Edson, B.Med.Sc., M.8., Ch.B., Ph.D. (Cantab.). E. J. Fawcett,, M.A. (Cantab.). E. R. McKillop, 0.8. E., M.I.C.E. R. 0. Page, D.Sc. J. M. Ranstead, Bledisloe Medallist. W. Riddet, B.Sc. (Agric.), N.D.A., N.D.D. D. F. Sandys Wunsch, M.A. (Oxon.), B.Sc. (McGill), M.l.Chem.E., Assoc .Inst.M.M. F. R. Callaghan, M.A., F.R.E.S. (Secretary).

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