1916] INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH IN CANADA 155 
facturers to so orientate their industries that an efficient research spirit 
will prevail. May the time soon come when the mental capabilities of 
our people as well as the other natural resources of our richly endowed 
country will be carefully conserved and developed for our own use. 
STANDARDISING, TESTING, AND RESEARCH LABORATORIES. 
In what has preceded I have dealt with the part which may very 
well be taken by our Universities in a national scheme of Industrial 
Research. I have also emphasised what appears to me to be a most 
important factor in the development of our industries, namely, combina- 
tion of effort and the establishment of research laboratories in con- 
nection with the works of these industries. I have also pointed out in 
what way it appears to me the Dominion Government may legitimately 
be asked to give financial aid to these two types of organisation. There 
is however another phase of the question which demands consideration. 
In a number of the Departments of Government research work is being 
carried on continually and entirely for departmental purposes. It is felt 
by some that there is a danger of overlapping in this work unless some 
scheme of efficient co-ordination be devised. This matter is now I 
believe under consideration by those immediately concerned with it, 
and it is possible that as a result, it may be found necessary to establish 
in different localities in Canada laboratories in which much of this werk 
can be done under one or more directing bodies, consisting of the per- 
manent officials interested in the matters taken up, and of others whose 
scientific attainments and qualifications may be such as to make them 
desirable members of such body or bodies. Departmental activities 
which might be cited as being pre-eminently suitable for being carried 
on by such organisations, are, the standardisation of weights and 
measures, the calibration and testing of meters and measuring instru- 
ments of all kinds, the testing of food-stuffs, the analysis of drugs and 
chemicals, the development of ceramics, the investigation of marine 
lighting and signalling, the treatment of ores and the investigation of 
the properties and treatment of natural products such as fish, oils, 
natural gases, peats and minerals of all kinds. 
The working out of a scheme which will embrace all these different 
types of activity will be a task which, I think you will agree, will 
tax the powers and capabilities of the Commission on Industrial Research 
to which I have alluded. It can however be done and effected very 
speedily if there be a general recognition of the difficulties involved, 
and if a general and hearty desire be evinced by those whose co-operation 
is sought to assist in working it out. 
