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administrative Departments of tie Government, but it should be ready to assist them all within its means and power. Its findings should find acceptance entirely on their merits, and for this reason it must be free from any suspicion that they are influenced or conditioned by the necessities of the regulative or productive organs of the State or by political exigency. lam accordingly of the opinion that the new Department of Scientific and Industrial Research should be under the immediate supervision of the Prime Minister, who stands for the Government as a whole, and in times of peace is as much responsible for the systematic progress of the nation, which the new Department is intended to promote, as he is for its defence in time of war. 52. In scientific things the Prime Minister must, I suggest, seek the advice of men of science of independent mind and sound judgment, as in executive things lie must be advised by trained administrators. The organization here proposed seeks to give expression to this differentiation of function. An Advisory Council. 53. I recommend accordingly that the Department should include a small Advisory Council of scientific men and men of affairs responsible for advising the Prime Minister on the programme and cost of work to be undertaken by the several establishments attached to the Department, and on the grants to be made to individuals, or to outside bodies —e.g., research associations or co-operative laboratories for the finance of which the Department is not responsible. The Council should also be entrusted with the appointment of persons, whether officials or otherwise, to the committees in scientific supervision of its own establishments. But officials of the Government should not be members of the Council itself, which would be appointed by the Prime Minister after consultation with the National Research Council if and when this body is established, and, until this happens, with the governing body of the New Zealand Institute. Much will depend on the selection of the right man as chairman of the Council. He should be a man wise in counsel, wide in outlook, with an interest in scientific things, a sense of proportion, and a capacity for getting men to pull together. He will not have any executive duties, but he will play an important role in framing policy for the Prime Minister's consideration. The ordinary meetings of the Council should be held monthly, except during the usual recesses. It is suggested that the chairman and first members of the Council should be appointed for a period of four years, and that thereafter the members should retire according to a rota. The number of the Council in the first instance should not exceed six. The powers and duties of the Council should be — (i.) To consider and report to the Prime Minister upon the scientific aspects of all proposals made to the Department for the encouragement of scientific research or the organization of industrial research from whatever source they may arise ; and to initiate such proposals themselves if they think fit. (ii.) To submit annually to the Prime Minister a programme of the work, with estimates of cost, for each of the scientific establishments under the control of the Department, together with detailed estimates of all moneys proposed to be expended by the Department in grants to individuals or to outside bodies. (iii.) The Council should also have the power of tendering advice to the Prime Minister on the scientific aspects of any proposals made by other Departments affecting the scientific or industrial interests of the people. (iv.) The Council may appoint such committees as they think fit. Honoraria and Quorum of Council, &c. 54. The members of the Council should receive an honorarium for their services, paid, I suggest, annually, and not according to attendance ; and the chairman, in view of his greater responsibilities, should receive a salary for his part-time services. The payment of a fee for each attendance is apt to lead members of a committee to think they may fairly absent themselves if it is not quite convenient to attend. It is important, however, that attendance at the Council should be regular, and the receipt of a yearly honorarium makes the responsibility for absence a serious one. Leave of absence should always be sought in writing from the chairman. 55. In view of these considerations I recommend that the quorum of the Council be three. 56. The ordinary travelling-expenses and subsistence allowances should be payable to members of the Council and of the supervisory committees of scientific establishments and institutes under the control of the Department. 57. In order that the Council may be in the position to review the activities and expenditure of the Department on scientific work before submitting the annual programme and estimates to the Prime Minister, the several committees of supervision for the laboratories, services, and institutes under the administration of the Department should be required to submit annual programmes of work, together with estimates of cost, for the consideration of the Council. 58. In order that the Council may be made aware of the policy of other Departments in scientific matters, and that those Departments may know the proposals of the Council and consult with them so as to secure unity of purpose and action, I recommend that the several Departments of State concerned in any aspect of scientific work should nominate their chief administrative officer to act as assessor at the ordinary meetings of the Council. An assessor should receive the agenda paper and minutes of all ordinary meetings of the Council, and should have power to attend and take part in the proceedings of the Council but not to vote.

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