president's address SECTION B. 117 



Avhen I was a very elementaiy student, and a most indifferent manipu- 

 lator. The work made me realise my own incompetence, and caused 

 me to approach the study of chemistiy from a totally changed point 

 of view. 



An objection which is often raised to modem research work is 

 that so much of it is apparently incapable of technical application. 

 Two important points must, however, be borne in mind — (1) that 

 scientific discoveries which have no monetary value to-day may 

 eventually be of the greatest service to mankind; (2) that to the 

 student the development of tlie habit of investigation is of far greater 

 importance than the value of the discoveries which he makes. To a 

 young man who proposes to take up technological work, a year spent 

 at close application to research work under the guiding hand of a 

 skilful and sympathetic investigator is of priceless value ; it will deeply 

 influence his mode of thought, and leave its mark upon all his future 

 work. 



Were I requiring an assistant professor in my own laboratory I 

 would not accept a degree of any kind from any university as a 

 guarantee of fltness for the post. If, however, I had read with 

 approval the candidate's original papers, and convinced myself that he 

 possessed tact, personality, and entliusiasm, I sliould have no hesita- 

 tion in recommending his appointment, even though his examination 

 i-ecord was poor. It may not be out of place to mention here that the 

 two most brilliant professors of chemistry in Gemiany have placed on 

 record that they did very badly in their degree examinations. 



It would be of interest if we could ascertain the causes of the 

 lack of enthusiasm for chemical research in Australasia. 

 (1.) Is the Australian climate to blame? 

 Undoubtedly theie is a great call to an open-air life, to the 

 cricket ground and the ocean beach, but as these attractions do not 

 sensibly divert business men from the pm'suit of wealth it can hardly 

 be maintained that they would seriously hinder an enthusiastic 

 investigator in his search after exact knowledge. 



(2.) Is the young Australasian unfitted by nature to take up 

 research work? Certainly he is not! 

 The success of Australasians who have gone to work in Europe 

 has demonstrated that our best students are unsurpassed in research 

 ability by the men with whom they come in contact in English and 

 German laboratories. Rutherfoi'd, of Christchurch, is, of course, 

 unique. Mellor, of Dune<lin, and Steele, of Melbourne, have both 

 done excellent work in physical chemistry. Of the younger men, the 

 names of Wilsuiore (Mell)ourne), Denham and Prideaux (Christchurch), 

 Allen and Worley (Auckland) arise in my mind as recent contributors 

 ■of papers to the journal of the Chemical Society. Yomigest of all is the 

 case of P. W. Robertson, of Wellington, whom I find credited with inves- 

 tigations on physical, organic, analytical, and technological cliemistiy. 

 Of the work done by chemists holding official positions in Australia 

 several have interested themselves witli the chemistry of the native 

 flora. Of these the work of Mr. Henry G. Smith upon the eucalypts 

 is particularly worthy of mention. In the agricultural laboratories I 

 find that Mr. Briuinich (Queensland) and Mr. Aston (New Zealand) 

 have carried out interesting work on plants which are poisonous to 



