SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
Bureau of Standards in the United States. There the Universities, 
State and otherwise, carry on investigational work in many branches of 
science. In all these researches, especially in physics and chemistry, 
“precision standards are required. Before the establishment of the 
Bureau-—and this is the position in Australia to-day—an investigator 
was frequently required to spend more time in the preparation of the 
standards of measurement used than in the main work in hand. The 
Bureau has performed services of this character for practically every 
University in the country. These institutions are in constant corre- 
spondence with the Bureau in reference to standards, methods of 
measurement, values of physical “constants, and the properties of 
materials, the latter especially in connexion with technical education. 
The Bureau’s publications are to be found in the reference libraries of 
all the Universities and technical schools, and many of its publications 
are used in connexion with instructional work. 
In quite another way is the Institute likely to aid the Universities. 
To-day in Australia skilled investigators are scarce. Only last month 
the Institute advertised for a man to investigate clays at Ballarat, and 
did not receive a single application. For the post of Science Abstractor 
with biological knowledge very few applications were received. This 
difficulty is likely to continue, so the Institute must take steps to build up 
its own staff. Tt has already communicated with the various seats of 
learning and ascertained what men are available for post-graduate 
research work. The idea is that the Institute will grant research 
scholarships to a limited number of such men for a year or two after they 
have graduated, so that they may be enabled to carry on research work 
under guidance, with the view of ultimately being absorbed either on the 
staff of the Institute or by industrial enterprises. 
—F. M. G. 
68° 
