H—34a
(c) Co-ordination of Research Work A review of scientific activities in New Zealand shows that there is no over-all authority, other than Cabinet itself, either to consider projects or to direct personnel or to apportion expenditure. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is not such an authority; its powers are advisory only. The Committee discussed this question at some length. There was general agreement that full collaboration among scientific workers and co-ordination of scientific work would mean an economy of man-power and would enable the best work to be done. Recommendation — That while the best means of achieving co-ordination of research work is by the encouragement of active collaboration between investigators and institutions, some co-ordinating body is necessary. (v) IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAINING FACILITIES In Section IX of this report reference is made to the training available for scientists within New Zealand and to the suitability of that training. (a) Provision of Further Courses In activities in which only small numbers require training the Committee did not feel disposed to recommend the provision of further courses. In these cases, as in veterinary science, bursaries to enable the necessary training to be obtained overseas would be more economical. The Committee considers, however, that courses should be made available either at the University or at higher technological institutions in, for example, forestry, exotic forest utilization, meteorology, and textiles. In none of these are any courses available at the present time. Recommendation — That further courses in applied science be made available either at the University Colleges or at, higher Technological Institutes. (b) Modification of Some Existing Courses In this connection the Committee makes the following recommendations in regard to courses to be followed by students intending to enter upon a science career: — Recommendations — 1. At the post-primary stage there should be no specialization whatsoever until the completion of the school certificate year. 2. In the Sixth Form specialization is desirable, but such specialization should not' exclude study of cultural subjects. 3. The B.Sc course should be extended to four years. 4. That it be made possible for a student to secure an M.Sc. degree in physiology,, bacteriology, or biochemistry,* and also in a group of sciences or in mathematics and physics, as well as in a single subject. Evidence was submitted that for teaching both of these modifications would be helpful, while many physicists felt the need of a higher standard in mathematics. (c) Research and Honorary Lectureships Recommendation —. That the University should devise a way of enabling specialist research work to be concentrated in the colleges according to facilities available, and of enabling specialist research institutions to be used, with proper safeguards, for the training of senior students,., and that to this end a system of honorary lectureships be developed.
* Since this report was drafted it has come to our knowledge that the master's degree may in future be taken in biochemistry and physiology at the University of Otago.
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