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works of Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and the sawmills of the Kauri Timber Company. In Auckland, as in all the other cities of the Dominion, I have had several opportunities of meeting the Chambers of Manufacturers and Commerce, the Rotary Clubs, or other societies of business men and industrialists. I have also visited each of the University colleges, in particular the science laboratories, and I have had long discussions with the professors. 10. In Christchurch I visited a typical furniture factory, a boot-factory, the Dominion Compressed Yeast Company (Limited), Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs' printing-works, Anderson's steelworks, and the factory of the New Zealand Gelatine Company. I also visited Lincoln College, and studied in particular the wheat-breeding work of Professor Hilgendorf. I made a short visit to Riccarton Bush, a small area of native forest that might become very useful in the study of some of the many unsolved problems connected with native trees and their economic handling. 11. In Dunedin I made many visits to the Exhibition, for its admirable arrangement and exhibits enabled me to get a bird's-eye view of New Zealand's developments in district and State activities that would otherwise have been impossible without a prolonged stay in the Dominion. I visited Messrs. Methven's engineering-works, Messrs. Donaghy's ropeworks, and the famous Roslyn Mills. I had already visited a small but modern and up-to-date woollen-mill at Oamaru on my way to Dunedin, and I took the opportunity this visit afforded of visiting the Waitaki Boys' High School, which I found to be a very live institution with many interesting activities, not least of which is the success it has been having in attracting the boys to its agricultural side. While in Dunedin I had the privilege of meeting and addressing the Senate of the University, and of meeting some of its members as well as the Professors of Science in the Otago University who happened to be in town. In this city I had several opportunities of meeting and discussing the need for science in industry with leaders in the business and industrial world. 12. In Wellington I have had the privilege of meeting the Committee on Scientific and Industrial Research under the chairmanship of Dr. Marsden on two occasions ; I have met the Council of the New Zealand Institute, and the Board of Science and Art, as well as representatives of the Dairy produce Control Board, the Fruit Control Board, and the New Zealand Meat-producers Board. The Dominion Laboratory (both the Government Analyst and the Agricultural Chemist), the biological laboratories of the Department of Agriculture at Kelburn, the Veterinary Laboratory at Wallaceville, as well as the College laboratories, have been visited, and their work discussed with the officers in charge. I have also had the pleasure of discussing the problems of silvicultural and forestproducts research with the Director of Forestry (Mr. L. Macintosh Ellis), the Engineer of Forest Products (Mr. Entrican), and the Secretary (Mr. E. Phillips Turner). Finally, I have had two long conversations on questions of organization with the Public Service Commissioner (Mr. VerschafEelt) and his Inspector (Mr. B. L. Dallard), at present acting as Controller-General of Prisons. 13. Throughout my journeyings I have had the constant and ungrudging assistance at one time or another of Dr Marsden, the Assistant Director of Education ; of Mr. B. C. Aston, the Agricultural Chemist; of Mr. A. H. Cockayne, the Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture ; and of Dr. Maclaurin, the Dominion Analyst, who accompanied me on my South Island tour. While at Dunedin and Christchurch I had the great advantage of the company and help of Mr. J. W. Collins, the Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, without whose guidance it would have been impossible for me to compass what I wished. His officer, Mr. Schmitt, was with us at Nelson and on the West Coast, and was of great assistance to me; while Mr. Clinkard ably represented the Secretary during my stay in Auckland and in the Hamilton district. My visit to Central Otago was made the more profitable by the information on local history and affairs which Mr. Peter Barr, who travelled with us, was so well able to give in the most attractive way. Above all am I indebted to the Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, who, whether with me or not, has been a constant stand-by, making my way smooth and ensuring that at every turn my task might be as easy as the short time at my disposal would permit. 11. Introductory. 14. It will not be necessary in this report to bring arguments in support of the need or desirability of establishing a suitable organization in the Dominion for the encouragement of original scientific work and for the promotion of better scientific practice in the primary and secondary industries of the country. The question has been discussed at length by many different bodies at short intervals of time since 1916, when the British Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial Research first invited the Dominion to set up machinery comparable to its own which would be able, among other things, to co-operate with the Home-land in the solution of problems of common interest. (Cf. " Report of the Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for 1915-16," London, Appendix V, pp. 52, ff.) 15. The invitation which you issued last year to my Government and which led to my presence here, and to the order of reference quoted at the head of this report, may be taken, it would appear, to signify the agreement of your Government as to the need. The problem now, as heretofore, is to discover the best way of establishing the new organ and the means necessary for maintaining it. I have been astonished at the interest in scientific work shown by all classes of the community with which I have come in contact in the cities, the townships, and in the country, the keenness with

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