WORK AND POSITION OF THE TEMPORARY INSTITUTE. 
The Work and Present Position 
of the Temporary Institute. 
393->-/- — 
T.—Intirrat Action. 
The first steps towards the formation of a Commonwealth Institute of 
Science and Industry were taken in January, 1916, when the Prime 
Minister convened a Conference in Melbourne to consider the matter. 
At this Conference there were present the Ministers of Agriculture for 
Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland; representatives of the State 
Universities and of the Inter-State Commission; and the Presidents of 
the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia and the Associated 
Ghambers of Manufactures of Australia. In addition, other leading men 
engaged in scientific and industrial pursuits attended from each State. — 
The Conference was thus thoroughly representative of all interests 
concerned. 
At this Conference a scheme was prepared for the establishment of 
a permanent Institute of Science and Industry, and for the creation of 
a temporary Advisory Council to carry out certain initial work pending 
the establishment of the permanent Institute. It was anticipated that 
the permanent Institute would be established by Act of Parliament 
shortly, and probably soon after the return of the Prime Minister from 
England in 1916, and it was solely on this understanding that the 
proposals for the creation of a mere temporary body to pave the way 
for the permanent organization were adopted and that the members of 
the Advisory Council agreed to undertake the preparatory work. 
Il.—EsrasrisnmMent or Temporary Apyisory Councit. 
The temporary Advisory Council was accordingly appointed by the 
Government, and held its first meeting in April, 1916. At this meeting 
the Ministers for Agriculture for Victoria, Queensland, and South Aus- 
tralia were present. The New South Wales Minister for Agriculture 
was represented by the Under-Secretary of his Department, but the 
Ministers for Agriculture for Western Australia and Tasmania were 
unable to be represented. Representatives of Science and Industry 
from all the States were also present. An Executive Committee was 
appointed, and State Committees were established in each State. 
The temporary body was designed to prepare the ground for the — 
proposed permanent Institute and in particular to— 8 
(a) consider and initiate scientific research in connexion with 
or for the promotion of primary or secondary industries 
in the Commonwealth, and 
(b) collect industrial scientific information and to form a 
Bureau for its dissemination amongst those engaged in’ 
industry. 
265 
