Hon. Dr. Roche champions the work of 

 Forest Products Laboratories 



At the annual meeting of the Canadian 

 Pulp and Paper Asgoeiation, Hon. Dr. 

 Roche, Minister of the Interior, uttered an 

 important and interesting pronouncement in 

 regard to the Forest Products Laboratories 

 of Montreal. 



"It gives me particular pleasure," said 

 Dr. Roche, "to believe that in the develop- 

 ment of Canadian resources the Forest Pro- 

 ducts Laboratories under the capable direc- 

 tion of Mr. R. H. Campbell, Director of 

 Forestry, and our worthy friend, Dr. Bates, 

 will be of great service to the Dominion of 

 Canada. I must take no credit for the idea 

 which led to the establishment of this insti- 

 tution, but it has been a privilege which I 

 cannot overestimate to have been instru- 

 mental in some small way in the introduc- 

 tion of legislation and the other necessary 

 arrangements which would lead to the or- 

 ganization of this institution in Canadian 

 industrial life. I saw the advantages which 

 the proposal offered and have given it my 

 heartiest support during the time which I 

 have held office. 



■ The work which the Forest Products 

 Laboratories are undertaking has enabled me 

 to make such representations to my col- 

 leagues that there has been no difficulty in 

 securing the support of the Government in 

 the financial part, and I am sure that every 

 member of the Government considers the 

 money well spent. 



TEE NEW ACT A BEMEDY. 



' ' 1 should make mention of an evil which 

 has beset the path of the Forestry Branch 

 in times past Avhich I have made an effort 

 to remove. I refer to the failure to in- 

 clude under the Civil Service Act all the 

 members of the Outside Service as well as 

 the Inside Service. It has come to my 

 notice that a very unfortunate condition 

 exists in the personnel of the Forestry 

 Branch, under which political patronage was 

 made the standard of selecting men for 

 office and position rather than through ac- 

 tual qualification. As you can readily un- 

 derstand, full efficiency under such a system 

 is entirely impossible. It gives me very 

 much pleasure to state that in the new Civil 

 Service Act the law is so formulated as to 

 remedy the conditions of which I speak. The 

 leaders in the Canadian Houses of Parlia- 

 ment have agreed that this session shall 

 be devoted exclusively to the momentous 

 issues which this unfortunate conflict which 

 is raging in Europe and testing the re- 



sources of the Hnipire has rais-ed. 



' ' There is no chance this year for the new 

 Civil Service Act with the alteration to be 

 law, but next session the necessary legisla- 

 tion will be accomplished, so that Mr. Camp- 

 bell can carry on the important work of the 

 Forestry Branch unhampered by the evils 

 of the patronage system. ' ' 



mOFER UTILIZATION OF FOBEST 

 WEALTH. 



Mr. R. H. Cam2:)bell, Director of Forestry, 

 followed Dr. Roche with an address refer- 

 ring to the Forest Products Laboratories 

 and the forestry problems confronting Can- 

 ada. In part he said : 



' ' Gentlemen, the Honorable Dr. Roche, 

 who has just addressed you, has pointed out 

 the possibilities of the Forest Products La- 

 boratories. From the first I have felt as- 

 sured that these Laboratories would do 

 much in rounding out the work of the For- 

 estry Branch. I have also felt assured of 

 the character of the work because of the 

 action of McGill University. Not only is 

 much of the valuable equipment of McGill 

 placed at the disj^osal of the Laboratory 

 staff, but co-operation l)y the members of 

 the Engineering and Chemical staff of Mc- 

 Gill is providing a very tavorable atmos- 

 phere for the Laboratories and a proper 

 stimulus to the men engaged in experimental 

 work. 



"As you know special stress in the mat- 

 ter of equipment is being laid on pulp and 

 paper apparatus. A considerable sum has 

 been set aside for the equipping of an ex- 

 perimental paper mill with all the necessary 

 machinery for carrying on paper making 

 processes. It has been a matter of satis- 

 faction to the Department to see the hearty 

 support which has been given to the La- 

 boratories by the Pulp and Paper Associa- 

 tion. Much depends upon the co-operation 

 of the practical men in the industry, and I 

 trust you will make all possible use of the 

 Laboratories and lend your assistance in the 

 working out of the problems that are most 

 important to the paper industry in Canada. 



' ' As we look at various European coun- 

 tries we are struck with the fact that forest 

 conservation has been given great and ser- 

 ious thought. Germany, whatever may be 

 our attitude toward that country at the 

 present time, must be given credit for hav- 

 ing made wonderful progress along the lines 

 of growing crops of wood, although it is 

 true that Germanv was forced to conserve 



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