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1927. NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. Establishment of the Department. The Act establishing the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was passed at the end of last session, following consideration of the report by Sir Frank Heath, presented to the House on the 25th May, 1926. The report contained a scheme along which State organization of research might be developed. On the 9th October, 1926, the following Advisory Council was appointed, as provided for in section 6 of the Act :— Mr. George Shirtclift'e, 0.8. E. (Chairman), Wellington. Professor Henry George Denham, M.A.. D.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, Canterbury College, Christchurch. Mr. Quentin Donald, Featherston. Professor John Malcolm, M.D., Ch.B., Professor of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin. Mr. Theodore Rigg, M.Sc., Agricultural Chemist, Cawthron Institute, Nelson. Mr. Charles Rhodes, Manager of New Zealand Mines Trust, Auckland. Mr. Hugh Vickerman, D.5.0., 0.8. E., M.Sc., M.lnst.C.E., Wellington. Dr. E. Marsden was appointed Permanent Secretary to the Council. Meetings. The inaugural meeting of the Advisory Council was held on the 26th and 27th October, 1926, and subsequent meetings have been held on the 14th and 15th December, 1926, 17th and 18th February, 1927, 19th and 20th April, 1927. All meetings have been held in Wellington, but, at the invitation of the Cawthron Institute, a portion of the April meeting was held at Nelson. Members of the Council have paid visits of inspection to the various scientific laboratories in the Dominion. Departmental Changes involved by the Establishment op the Department. It was decided to regroup under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research a number of scientific services previously under the control of a number of the State Departments. The services transferred were (1) Dominion Laboratory —from Internal Affairs Department. (2) Meteorological Office —from Marine Department. (3) Geological Survey —from Mines Department. (4) Dominion Observatory —from Internal Affairs Department. (5) Stone-testing Laboratory and Geological Advisory Service—from Public Works Department. (6) Technical Control of the Samoan Observatory —from External Affairs Department,

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