president's address — SECTION B. 41 



Council, has made. To cite one example, the question of supplies 

 of liquid fuel in Australia is becoming desperate. Yet, instead of 

 following up the valuable suggestion of the 'Advisory Council to 

 utilize for the manufacture of industrial alcohol the immense 

 amount of fermentable material now going to waste, it is proposed 

 to spend untold sums in the less constructive but more showy and 

 speculative enterprise of scratching the country for oil, which, 

 in the opinion of many geologists, is probably not there. Unless 

 the Institute of Science and Industry is given an autonomous 

 position under scientific and technical control and free from the 

 strangle-hold of oifficial red tape, any money spent on it might 

 as (well be thrown away.* 



I must claim your indulgence for having dwelt so long on 

 matters connected with applied chemistry to the exclusion of pure 

 chemistry. My only excuse is that the achievements of applied 

 chemistry, especially those relating to the war, seemed likely to 

 appeal mere strongly to a general audience, in reality, however, 

 as every chemist knows, the achievements of applied chemistry are 

 merely the outcome of the more fundamental discoveries of pure 

 chemistry, the ultimate source of all real advance in applied, as in 

 purei chemistry, being the pursuit of chemical discovery for its own 

 sake. That a realisation of this is growing m some technical 

 circles is evident from the valuable papers on pure science, 

 eoianating from time to time from research laboratories belong- 

 mg to manufacturing firms, of whicn the General Electric Com- 

 pany of America is a notable exam))>e. 



A first essential for real advance in technical chemistry in 

 Australia^ is therefore adequate endowment and equipment for re- 

 search, as well as for teaching, of our various university chemical 

 departments. Much in this direction has already been done, and 

 the splendid record of the technical schools of the older Austra- 

 lian universities and of many of tne men whom they have trained 

 shows that it has been money well spent. But much more mut-t be 

 done if we are to hold our own in the strenuous times ahead of us 

 and contribute cur proper share to the progress of our science. 

 Hence it is sincerely to be hoped that the appeals for increased 

 help to meet their ever growing needs, which are being made by 

 the various Australian universities, will meet with a sufficiently 

 generous response to justify Australia's claim toi be a progres- 

 sive and intelligent nation. 



The progress in pure chemistry during the past few years has 

 probably been as epoch making as that of any previous period. 

 We seem to be getting appreciably nearer to the heart of things. 



•Since the delivery of this address, Mr. G. H. Knibbs, C'.M.G., has been appointed 

 Director of the Institute of Science and Industry. If Mr. Knibbs receives adequate support, 

 his appointment should go far to restore confidence in the Institute. 



