Hill. — Technical and Scientific Training. 157 



by the help of scientific methods — produces in excess of his 

 own requirements. He is able to do this by utilising the 

 instruments of production in the way that experience directs. 

 The successful farmer in Manitoba might lose his all in New 

 Zealand if he came to farm land in the same way that wins 

 him prosperity and comfort in a country possessing a climate 

 of much wider contrasts, such as British North America pre- 

 sents. And generally the same remark applies. All know- 

 ledge has a general and a special value, and in order to 

 insure success the generalisations of science must be under- 

 stood and applied, subject to varying local conditions and 

 influences — in other words, to environment. 



But there are two separate classes of science. The one, 

 known as "pure science," pursues the study of natural 

 phenomena by and through the exercise of the senses. But 

 observation brings in its train the questions, What '? and 

 How ? and Why ? for a mere acquaintance with an observed 

 fact does not suffice in the pursuit of scientific inquiry. The 

 understanding seeks to be enlightened, and the classification 

 of facts enables inferences to be drawn, and thus provides a 

 basis, as it were, for new lines of thought. Applied science, 

 on the other hand, has reference to the utilisation of scientific 

 facts for economic purposes. The science of to-day, whether 

 natural or applied, is merely the accumulated results of the 

 observations, discoveries, and applications made during the 

 yesterdays of the past. 



The growth of production in this country from the time 

 when it came to be known as a land suitable for colonisation 

 shows what is possible without the direct application of 

 scientific methods. The accumulation of facts gained by 

 experience — that is, the elementary application of scientific 

 knowledge — sufficed to direct settlers to certain forms of pro- 

 duction, and when partial success had been attained it soon 

 became apparent that production was in excess of the require- 

 ments of the country. Intercommunication between Aus- 

 tralia and New Zealand begau, and as production increased 

 communication was widened. Even without the aid of 

 science in the school system of the country production in- 

 creased at a rapid rate, but it arose from causes that were 

 in a large measure external to the country itself. The accu- 

 mulated wealth of England was ready to furnish capital for 

 the production of commodities that would supply yet greater 

 wealth to the English people, and so forms of production 

 were fostered in New Zealand by means of which raw 

 products were furnished to supply the manufacturing indus- 

 tries in England. 



If we go back to the state of things in this country just 

 twenty years ago, it will be evident to those who study 



