PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
Tut following is the presidential address delivered before the New Zealand 
Institute on the 31st January, 1922, at Wellington, by Thomas Hill Easter- 
field, M.A., Ph.D., F.LC., F.N.Z.Inst., Director of the Cawthron Institute 
of Scientific Research, and Emeritus Professor in Victoria University 
College :— ! 
In my presidential address last year I spoke to the general public on 
some aspects of scientific research, and I outlined certain schemes whereby 
research might be forwarded for the intellectual and scientific advancement 
of our country.  To-day I address the Board of Governors only, and I 
know it is needless to impress upon them the importance of scientific 
investigation, for the members of this Board have an honourable record 
of published investigations, and to my certain knowledge are anxious to 
advance the cause and the progress of scientific research. 
Nevertheless, I feel that greater co-operation is needed than exists at 
present amongst New Zealand men of science in the effort made on behalf 
of research. This want has been felt in other countries; and the United 
assistance, and it would certainly appear that, owing to the changed financial 
situation, the time has come for some complete change of policy in New 
ealand. Great as is the value of the contributions to science made by 
those who are bearing the whole cost of their investigations, it must be 
recognized that the number of those who are in a position to do work in 
this manner is limited. Moreover, in the case of some of the sciences, the 
apparatus and material required are of such an expensive nature that few 
amateurs can afford to supply the equipment with which such work can 
be carried out efficiently. The work, however, must be done, and we as 
an Institute shall be lacking in our sense of duty to the country in which 
we live if we do not exert great efforts in order that the difficulties may be 
overcome. It is worth while considering whether the Councils of the 
societies affiliated to the New Zealand Institute should not be circularized 
and asked to suggest methods whereby the research spirit may be fostered 
in their own districts, so that greater attention may be given to investiga- 
tion in pure and applied science throughout the Dominion. It must be 
admitted that we have not yet educated the public of New Zealand to the 
point of recognizing that national progress is largely dependent upon the 
continuous application of scientific discovery to technical problems, and 
that the development of technical science depends directly upon discovery 
in the realms of chemistry, physics, and biology. 
