PERSONAL. 
_ Personal: 
MR. A. E, LEIGHTON. 
One great fact which emerged from the experience of the war was 
the need for marshalling the resources of industry and science as part 
of a political and defence policy. . Amongst civilized nations the 
relative capacity for waging successful war is measured by the nature 
and efficiency of the industries possessed by the opposed communities, 
for it is on industry, as the producer of wealth, that falls the expense 
of keeping the nucleus army and navy in time of peace, and to 
industry that the army and navy look for munitions in time of war. 
It is therefore of cardinal importance to stabilize essential industries 
in Australia and secure a stock of trained brains and inventive resource, ~ 
so that in time of need the industries can be made to function for 
war. 
Protection in itself will not stabilize industry in Australia, for if it 
is not backed by capable and progressive scientific management, Protec- 
tion, to be effective, will become a tax which the community cannot 
afford. On the stability and breadth of the industries rests Australia’s 
capacity for defence, and stabilized industries staffed with efficient 
scientific workers will secure to Australia the means of supplying the 
army and navy with vital necessaries in time of war. There is scarcely 
a natural material required for making articles used in war that is 
not available somewhere in Australia, and the problem before us is to 
find the means, by intelligent and sound policy, to insure these available 
materials being utilized. The solution of the problem lies in 
co-ordinated work by the Customs and Defence Departments and the 
Institute of Science and Industry.! : 
It was in order to establish a link between the Defence Department 
and the Institute of Science and Industry that the Government 
appointed Mr. A. E. Leighton, of the Defence Department, to the 
Executive Committee. Mr. Leighton, whose photograph appears in this 
issue, was born in London, and was educated at the Wesleyan Training 
College, Westminster, and at the Birkbeck College, University of 
London. He was assistant to Mr. William Macnab, C.B.E., for some 
years, and gained a wide experience in general consulting and explosive 
practice. Research work on explosives and interior ballistics was 
carried out at this time, and formed the subject of several scientific 
apers.. The work brought him in close association with Dr, A. Dupre, 
ome Office Explosives Expert, and led to an appointment with the 
Government of India Department of Military Supply. In 1903 he 
joined the Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey, and later went 
to India, where he continued during the period in which the munition 
factories were modernized under. the direction of Sir Chas. Scott. 
In 1906 Mr. Leighton served as technical advisor to the Committee 
appointed to inquire into explosions of cordite at the Ferozepore 
Arsenal. Whilst on this service he contracted enteric fever, which 
necessitated leave to England in 1907, and during this visit he was 
fortunate enough to meet Mr. C. Napier. Hake; who was’ then in’ 
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