404 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technolooy. 
[Dec. 
“ 2. Whether the said trustees are empowered by the said will to establish an 
institute having for its present object scientific research upon the lines indicated by 
the report of a private Commission of scientists filed herewith ? ” 
The first question is obviously not sufficiently specific to enable the Court to deal 
with it save in general terms. The second question involves a consideration of the 
scope of the report of the Commission and an examination of the somewhat unskilfully 
expressed language of the will. 
The Commission was a private Commission directed by the trustees to Sir James 
Glenny Wilson, President of the Board of Agriculture ; Dr. W. B. Benham, M.A., D.Sc., 
F.Z.S., F.R.S., President of the New Zealand Institute, Professor of Biology in the 
University of Otago, and Curator of the Otago University Museum ; Professor T. JI. 
Easterfield, M.A., Ph.D., F.I.C., F.C.S., Professor of Chemistry in Victoria University 
College, Wellington ; Dr. P. Marshall, M.A., D.Sc., F.G.S., F.R.G.S., then Professor 
of Geology and Mineralogy in the University of Otago ; Dr. F. P. Worley, M.A., D.Sc.. 
F.C.S., Professor of Chemistry in University College, Auckland; and Dr. Leonard 
Cockayne, Pli.D., F.L.S., F.R.S., widely known for his work in connection with 
systematic and economic botany and botanical research. 
It is evident that the Commission exhaustively considered what would be the best 
course to take in connection with various suggested projects for the utilization in the 
public interests of the large fund, amounting in all to £180,000, or, after purchasing 
land and erecting buildings for the Institute, about £150.000, capable of producing 
revenue subject to the trusts of the will. I need only briefly summarize the results 
obtained through the Commission. 
The Commissioners in their report state that the single question submitted to them 
w4s, “ How best the wishes of the late Mr. Cawthron, with regard to the Cawthron 
Institute, can be practically carried out.” 
The report sets out the summarized decision of the Commission in the following 
terms :— 
“ Decision of the Commission. 
“ As the result of our inquiries and deliberations we are unanimously of the 
opinion— 
“1. That the wishes of the late Thomas Cawthron will be most suitably given 
effect to by the establishment of an Institute in or near the City of Nelson, to be called 
the Cawthron Institute. 
“ 2. That a museum illustrative in the widest sense of the industries of Nelson 
Provincial District be an integral part of the Institute. 
“ 3. That the chief scope of the work of the Institute should be instruction in and 
performance of scientific research, as suggested by the trustees ; such research to be 
definitely related to the industries of Nelson and of the Dominion. 
“ 4. That, inasmuch as agriculture is and is likely to remain for many years the 
most important industry both of Nelson and of the Dominion, the research work should 
in the first instance bear chiefly upon this industry, and in particular upon fruitgrowing. 
“ 5. That provision should, however, be made, as funds permit, for systematic 
research on other subjects— e.g., the chemistry, physics, and biology of soils ; the 
development ,pf forest lands, including reafforestation ; the utilization of clays and 
other minerals ; the fishing industry ; and such other subjects as may from time to 
time be deemed important and worthy of study. 
“We believe that an institution upon this plan would have a most important 
bearing on the material welfare and educational progress of Nelson and of the Dominion. 
It would be an industrial and technical school in the true sense of the word, teaching 
effectively the application of science to our national industries. Hitherto research 
work in New Zealand has been to a large extent of a spasmodic nature. Members of 
the staffs of our University colleges, Government officers, students, and others have 
devoted such of their time as could be spared from routine work to the carrying-out of 
scientific investigation, but there has been in New Zealand no institution in which 
properly organized research has been the main function of the institution. We do not 
desire to underrate the value of the results hitherto obtained, and we appreciate to the 
full the difficulties under which New Zealand investigators have as a rule carried out 
their work, but we believe firmly that in an institution designed, equipped, financed, 
and organized for scientific research results can be far more effectively obtained than 
under the haphazard sj^stem at present prevailing. 
“ We desire to emphasize the educational importance of an institute such as we 
are recommending. We consider that the value of research as a factor in education 
has been quite insufficiently recognized in New Zealand and throughout the British 
Empire.” 
It then proceeds to develop the scheme, recommending the recognition of the 
following bodies : (a) The trustees, ( b ) the Advisory Board, (c) the Director, (d) the 
staff. 
