"Salient" is pleased to publish the following announcement of the establishment of a Group Observation Fellowship in New Zealand. The immense importance and the varied possibilities of the mass-observation technique are beyond dispute. It is to be hoped that students will offer this movement all the help they are able.

You may have noticed in the press during the past few months references to mass observation, a method for investigating in an impartial and scientific manner the lives and opinions of people living in a great modern state. The intention of those responsible for the research was to apply the methods so successful in studying the life of savage peoples, to the inhabitants of the average English community. It was obvious from the beginning that isolated scientific workers in this field could not hope to immerse themselves in the life of a largo community to the degree that is possible in the study of primitive groups. Therefore they enlisted the aid of the people themselves; they called for volunteers from all walks of life to record as accurately as possible the behavior and opinions of their fellows. The records were sent into a central organisation which analyzed the material and deduced where possible conclusions useful to science.

The success of such research depends upon the number and types of the societies that it studies. A number of people who think that the scientific method should be applied to problems of group life is now organising a further field of enquiry here in New Zealand. As yet this group has no official connection with Mass Observation in England. As pointed out above, without the assistance and co-operation of all who are interested in such an approach (though not necessarily scientifically trained) the work is impassible. We therefore appeal to you to put on record, in a systematic manner, the observations of your fellow man that you undoubtedly must make every day.

The study must proceed along certain defined lines; as far as possible you will be asked to observe those phenomena most accessible to you in your daily life. For example, such questions as the real attitude of the public in times of crisis, the place of sport in the lives of New Zealanders, the extent to which a man's outlook is determined by his occupation, could be investigated. Important phenomena such as etiquette, modes of salutation, crowd behaviour, the weather as a topic of conversation, could be reported on by observers. Remember, the details which are superficially most unimportant may be vital to the understanding of a particular problem.

The more observers there are, the more significance can be attached to the deductions from their observations. In order to cover the whole community we require observers from all walks of life representing every shade of opinion, the only essential qualification being the ability to record observations truthfully and systematically. If you wish to become an observer please communicate with the undersigned, giving name, address and occupation. Detailed instructions will then be sent to you. The smallest contribution of time (and that is all that you will be required to contribute) will be acceptable. Your position as an observer will be regarded as absolutely confidential and in any quoted analyses of results your name will not be mentioned. Since your position will be entirely voluntary you are at liberty to withdraw at any time. You may make as small or as large a contribution of your time to the work as you find convenient.

Communications should be addressed to:—