Fifteenth Annual Meeting. 327 



Wellington appointed Professor T. Hunter ; and the Council of Education appointed 

 Mr. George Hogben to represent it on the Committee. 



The name of this Committee adopted was the New Zealand Institute's Scientific 

 and Industrial Research Committee. Mr. George Hogben, C.M.G., was unanimously 

 appointed permanent Chairman, and seven meetings were held in September, October, 

 November, and December, the attendance being as follows: Mr. George Hogben, 7 ; 

 Dr.. Adams, 6; Mr. Aston, t> ; Mr. Bates, 4; Dr. Cockayne, ; Dr. Cotton, 6; Pro- 

 fessor Easterfield, 4 ; Mr. Evans, 7 ; Dr. Frengley, 5 ; Mr. Furkert, 4 ; Mr. Ferguson, 

 4 ; Professor Hunter, 6 ; Mr. Holmes, 6 ; Mr. Lewis. 6 ; Dr. Maclaurin, 6 ; Mr. Mont- 

 gomery, 4 ; Mr. Morgan. 7 ; Mr. Morton, 1 ; Mr. Parry, 2 ; Dr. Reakes, 4 ; Dr. 

 Thomson, (i ; Mr. Turner, 5 ; Mr-. H. Hill, 1. 



The Honorary Secretary of the New Zealand Institute was elected Honorary Secre- 

 tary of this Committee. A sub- committee, consisting of Mr. George Hogben and Dr. 

 Thomson, was set up to prepare a synopsis of the various schemes at present adopted 

 by other countries for advancing science and industry. This was drawn up as a report 

 by the sub-committee, submitted to the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs on the 2nd 

 October, 1917, and at once published as a parliamentary paper, H.-47, 1917, Organiza- 

 tion of Scientific and Industrial Research, and laid before Parliament, then sitting. 



The Committee resolved that it was necessary that a research scheme should be 

 prepared. A sub-committee was set up to draw up a list of suitable bodies and 

 persons to circularize throughout the Dominion asking for any suggestions which they 

 had to offer. The replies which were received were summarized by the Chairman. 



The Committee took the scheme of the Wellington Philosophical Society (see Par- 

 liamentary Paper H.-47, 1917) as a basis for formulating a new scheme, and duly 

 considering (a) the replies which had been received in answer to the Committee's 

 circular, (b) the opinion of certain prominent scientific research workers who happened 

 to be in Wellington at the Board of Studies meeting of the New Zealand University. 

 Certain recommendations were drawn up advising the setting-up of a Board of Science 

 and Industry, and prescribing the method of election or of appointment, and also the 

 functions of the members of this proposed Board. The President of the New Zealand 

 Institute having given his permission for this Committee to send their report in to the 

 Government without consulting the Board of Governors as a whole (who nevertheless 

 were kept informed by circular of the progress of the scheme), the report was sent in 

 to the Chairman of the National Efficiency Board on the 9th November, 1917. 



At the request of the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Committee waited 

 upon him on the 12th December, 1917, to hear his views and to give any advice desired 

 as to the advancement of science and industry. The Minister promised to support the 

 scheme drawn up by the Committee. 



Mr. Ferguson informed the Hon. the Minister that the recommendations of the Com- 

 mittee would receive consideration at the meeting of the National Efficiency Board to 

 be held on the 8th January, 1918, and were then to be sent on to the Government. 

 (Your Committee is informed that this has now been done.) 



At an early stage of the Committee's deliberations a motion was carried urging the 

 Government to place on the supplementary estimates £2,000 for the purpose of promot- 

 ing scientific research. This motion was forwarded through the National Efficiency 

 Board to the Government. 



The Prime Minister has informed the Board that the following sums have been 

 placed on the estimates under the Department of Internal Affairs : — £ 



(1.) Dominion Laboratory — Scientific research .. .. 500 



(2.) Miscellaneous Services — Grant to the New Zealand Insti- 

 tute for research work . . . . . . . . 500 



(:{.) Dominion Museum — Scientific and industrial research .. 250 



£1.250 



As requested, the Standing Committee has extended the powers of the Scientific 

 and Industrial Research Committee so that it may undertake the preliminary work of 

 collecting data concerning New Zealand's industries and research workers, and facilities 

 for carrying out the work. The Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs having informed 

 the Committee that he was prepared to take steps at an early date to inaugurate a 

 Dominion scheme of scientific and industrial research by making a preliminary census 

 of past research, actual problems of industry awaiting solution, and of available labora- 

 tories and research workers, and that there was a vote of £250 on the Museum estimates 

 available for the purpose, the Committee advises that the Director of the Dominion 

 Museum should undertake such census, and that a Committee of the New Zealand 

 Institute shoidd co-operate with him. 



