COST OF THE INSTITUTE. 
need in Australia for years. It is no exaggeration to say ‘that -the. 
anniial and preventible loss in connexion with our Timber industry; 
would pay the cost of a prellccmapped Forest Products Laboratory: 
every, year. Me 
‘But it is neither ae nor desirable that all this should de done, 
" once. <A start will have to be made somewhere—the Directors being. 
doubtless guided by the calibre of the men offering who are capable of, 
taking charge. It would be fruitless to erect, say, a biological laboratory: 
if it was not possible to find a suitable biologist to direct its operations,, 
formulate its projects for research, and with infinite patience and exactir. 
tude carry them out. AS ssh 
Why should laboratories be erected at all, the critic may ask, secing: 
that there are already laboratories in existence in each of the Universit 
ties and many Schools of Mines, Technical Colleges, Museums, and ‘so: 
forth. . It is true that there are scores of laboratories in existence in 
Australia, but the bulk of them are designed primarily for teaching 
and not for industrial research—they are controlled by teachers, not, 
generally by researchers. Besides, for the most part, they are quite, 
inadequately equipped and altogether unsuitable, even if they were 
available for serious research work. Furthermore, the Universities 7 
to-day are overcrowded with students. The Professors and their, 
assistants are sadly overworked, and often sadly underpaid. » This. is; 
very generally realized, and it has been urged that, in view of this fact; 
the real way to wed science to industry is to enlarge and improve | the, 
existing laboratories and not erect new ones. If that were seriously 
contemplated, it would be the most uneconomical way to go about the, 
matter, and would in practice prove the most ineffectual. It would. 
be far preferable to erect one efficient, well-equipped set of laboratories 
than tinker with half-a-dozen or more ill-equipped ones. A brand’ 
new ‘house is always mote comfortable than an old one renovated, and: 
generally costs less in the long run as well. Let those who doubt this: 
try it and prove it. 3 
- | Now, what is going to’ be the cost of this scheme of national 
laboratories? No one can say precisely. A laboratory may involve: 
the ‘cost of, say, £2,000, or it may cost £100,000, or any sum lying 
between these two. As a matter of fact, the Directors will have to 
“creep before they gang.” The child crawls before it walks—before 
it finds its feet. So will the Directors begin with small things till they 
justify themselyes and the Institute. They know they will be dependent 
upon Parliament for money from year to year, and they will not be 
slow to realize that the easiest way to get money out of Parliament is 
to prove that the outlay will give a good return to the country. The 
Directors will be judged on their ability to make science pay. At the 
same time, it is necessary to realize that in making science pay the 
ate) 
