3

H.—47.

and includes members from all the Australian States. It is a temporary body, designed to prepare the ground for a proposed permanent Institute of Science and Industry, and to exercise in a preliminary way the functions that will in future belong to the Institute. The chief of these functions are — " (i.) To consider and initiate scientific researches in connection with, or for the promotion of, primary or secondary industries in the Commonwealth ; and. " (ii.) The collection of scientific industrial information and the formation of a bureau for its dissemination amongst those engaged in industry." At its first meeting the Advisory Committee elected an Executive Committee, of which the Prime Minister (or, in his absence, the Vice-President of the Executive Council) is Chairman. The DeputyChairman is Professor D. Orme Masson. The Executive Committee at first consisted of six members besides the Chairman ; to these were afterwards added the Chairman of the several State Committees as members of the Executive Committee ex officio. These members serve to keep the Executive and tin; State Committees in touch with one another. To secure this connection still more closely, additional members (included above) were added to the Advisory Council, so that there should be at least three members of the latter on each State Committee. The committee in each State consists of the State representatives on the Advisory Council together with any other associate members appointed on the nomination of State Governments, one of whom is generally a professor of the university. The Advisory Council itself has held only two meetings, most of its work being done by committees. The Executive Committee up to the 30th June, 1917, had held altogether ninety-two meetings. The first work of the Advisory Council was, inter alia, — (1.) To make a register or census — (a.) Of Australian industries, their distribution and importance ; (b.) Of problems connected with them ; (c.) Of the equipment and personnel of laboratories available for industrial scientific research ; (d.) Of research work in actual progress in laboratories and at Government experimental farms; and (e.) Of the facilities available for the proper training of future scientific investigators: (2.) To establish relations with other authorities, as State Governments, scientific and technical departments, universities, technical colleges, scientific societies, and associations and committees representing the pastoral, agricultural, manufacturing, and other industries : (3.) To encourage and co-ordinate researches already in progress (much of the work of the executive has been of this kind). The next step was the initiation of new researches. Having collected all the information from reports and experts on any special question, the executive appointed in each approved case a small Special Committee to report further or to carry out actual experimental investigation. In the latter case the executive selected the locality and the institution for conducting the research, appointed a salaried investigator to assist the Special Committee, and voted a reasonable sum for expenses. Twenty such Special Committees were appointed up to the 30th June, 1917; some of these committees each carried out or initiated several researches. Their work was in addition to the research work being carried out by Government Departments, by such societies as the Pastoralists' Committee, and by universities and other institutions, or by two or more of these bodies acting together. It would be difficult to exaggerate the value of the researches already completed or the importance of those in progress or contemplated : a fairly exhaustive account of them appears in the, Report of the Executive Committee dated the 2nd July, 1917. The scheme distinguishes between laboratories primarily for scientific research and laboratories primarily for the necessary routine work of departmental testing. It is recommended that— " (a.) The control of the present Commonwealth laboratories be not disturbed, but that they be co-ordinated, their staffs increased, and their equipment improved : " (b.) Any new national laboratories which may be created for special purposes of research and experimental inquiry, including a physical laboratory for testing and standardizing purposes, should be controlled by the Institute." The Executive Committee, in the report already referred to, urgently recommends the establishment of the permanent institute under statutory authority. It advises a constitution substantially in accord with that set forth in the original draft of January, 1916, which in brief was as follows :— " (i.) That an Advisory Council consisting of nine members representing science and the principal primary and secondary industries should be appointed by the GovernorGeneral in Council. " (ii.) That, for the purpose of controlling and administering the Institute and of collecting information and determining on the researches to be undertaken and directing their elucidation, three highly qualified salaried Directors, of whom one should be Chairman of the Directors, should be appointed by the Governor-General in Council. The Directors should seek the advice and co-operation of the Advisory Council, and should be ex officio members thereof.