industry. New Zealand lags behind the Commonwealth in this matter. As you are aware, the Prime Minister of Australia set aside a quarter of a million sterling for the preliminary work of a conjoint Board on which science and industries are represented, the work of that Board being to investigate various defined and important subjects the solution of which would lead to improvements in manufacture, the utilization of waste products, the destruction of certain weeds which had become a pest, and so forth. In New Zealand very little progress has been made with the scheme initiated by the Institute. Certain committees have been set up in the four centres, and the Auckland committee have circulated a valuable pamphlet containing their recommendations, which will be seen from the report laid before you. There was formed at Dunedin an “Institute of Science and Industry,” which roused a certain amount of enthusiasm amongst the representatives of the local industries, many of whom co-operated with the scientific men. The Minister of Internal Affairs has expressed his intention of calling a conference, which we may hope will result in some practical steps being taken to bring the results of scientific research and method into closer relation with some of the industries. It is not my intention to discuss the matter here, but, as this Institute is the chief body of scientific opinion in the Dominion, and should be able to exercise gre influence than it does at present in all matters involving scientific principles, I cannot pass the movement by altogether. The valuable report on the relation of science to industry circulated by the committee of the Auckland Institute contains, as you will have seen, recommendations for increased teaching of science, for increased remuneration of research scholars and an extension of the system, and for the application of science to industry. In the case of the last, it seems to me that the committee have scarcely gone as far as they might Chemical analyses, bacteriology, and agriculture are mentioned, but no reference is made to other industries. Moreover, I think that the gap between the student who has done academic research and one employed in an industrial research is not bridged by the recommendation. It has been a complaint, I understand, by manufacturers in England that most of the young graduates, usually chemists, that have, come to them from universities are useless, owing to the fact that they have, naturally, no knowledge of doing research on a business scale they know and generally can know, nothing of the especial needs of the particular works, or such matters as the most economical way of production, utilization of waste material or by-products. In other words, they lack a business training in connection with their science. It has occurred to me that to get over such a difficulty there should be a central research institute under a competent director with business knowledge - a knowledge of the needs of manufacturers. Here the graduate would be set to work out special problems presented by manufacturers, under the guidance of the director, and thus get some insight into the working of a large concern It would, of course, need money, but I suppose it would not be impossible to interest the large manufacturers in the matter. Get grants or endowments from individual firms, from business corporations of various kinds, and I believe that such an institute would justify itself in a few years. It seems to me that this Institute should take a much more active part in urging the importance of a better training in science—or, rather, in scientific methods—in our secondary schools, and in urging, in season and out of season, on the industrial community the need for scientific organization and co-operation. It is to this Institute that the Government should be induced to turn for advice and assistance in any matter in which science is involved. For instance, I understand that important reports from the British Government were received by our Government and referred to a single individual for a report. Now, these reports, it seems to me, should have been referred to the Institute as a body, which, if necessary, should be called together to discuss and advise. It is as true here as in Britain that few of our politicians have any knowledge of science, or what is meant by scientific method, and we ought to see that this is remedied by persistent deputation, if need be, when the present grievous time is passed. For instance, the matter of scientific afforestation is one that demands immediate attention. It is true that a few years ago the Institute approached the Government with the suggestion that a scientifically trained Forester be appointed, but I believe nothing has been done. The members of the Institute are all busy men, and it ı difficult, perhaps, to keep track of the varied needs of the Dominion; but if each of the scientific men on the Board were to bring forward from time to time the matters that occur to them as being in need of reform, a special meeting of the Institute might be held at which such matters might be discussed more fully than is possible at our