Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Science in New Zealand Supplement to Salient, Vol. 28, No. 7. 1965.

Science And Government

page 2

Science And Government

It is just one hundred years since the birth of government science in New Zealand. Since that time scientists have contributed much to our prosperity. They have bred high yielding pasture plants and disease resistant crops, they have gained control of insect pests and animal disorders, so that the productivity of our agriculture is the highest in the world. F.A.O. figures show that in 1956-60 it was 59% above that of the United States, 3.8 times that of Denmark and 4 times that of the United Kingdom.

But this is not all, for they have still better plant varieties on the way, their knowledge of the chemistry of animal nutrition is advancing rapidly and they have demonstrated the practicability of still more intensive stocking on large areas of farmland.

On the industrial side, science has played a major role in the harnessing of geothermal energy, the discovery of natural gas, the ironsand investigations and the prevention of costly spontaneous fires in wool stores, to name but a few examples.

We are in the habit of applauding the pioneer, the farmer or the industrialist, but I believe we have too often been inclined to forget the scientists' contribution to their achievements. For this reason there has not always been sufficient attention paid to the future contributions that science can make to our welfare.

Of the £7 million a year that New Zealand now spends on scientific research and services, something like 85% is government financed. The government is thus heavily committed in science. By comparison, the United Kingdom and United States governments finance about 75% and 66% of the respective total research expenditure.

Discussing the government's attitude to science is therefore rather like discussing a man's attitude to his car. He will tell you that in the early days he managed passably well without one, relying on lifts from friends and neighbours. Nowadays he considers the car a necessity; he still uses other transport if it will take him where he wants to go, otherwise he uses his own.

So, in the early days this country relied heavily on overseas research; we still do this, as do all countries, whenever it is appropriate, but increasingly it is not; therefore we have to do our own. No government of today can neglect science, for science enters into so many of the decisions that have to be taken, whether it be finance for research laboratories, monitoring fallout, controlling agricultural chemicals or approving a steel industry.

Although it must have a positive attitude to science, a democratic government must at the same time bear in mind that it is there to serve the will of the people, and the people as a whole know little of science and often have a quite negative attitude towards it. The government, of course, takes the best scientific advice it can get; but, again, because this advice is scientific, it can seldom be explained to the people.

In this dilemma there is only one course open to us. That is, for government and people alike to be quite clear as to what they want from science, what it is worth and why, and then to see that they get it. Only the scientist can handle the details of its attainment.

To push the analogy of the car a little further — the owner will explain that he chose the model best suited to his needs and his pocket, and that he usually uses it to get somewhere, but sometimes merely to explore the country-side. So, the government believes that New Zealand's science must be suited to its needs and resources, and while most of it should be devoted to serving the community, some research should have no defined purpose other than the acquisition of new knowledge.

Exploring the countryside is a valuable experience — so is pure research — but it is only after we have developed our resources to the fullest extent that we can afford to roam more widely. It is right and proper that New Zealand should have experts in fields that have no immediate application here, but we cannot afford to train too many of our graduates in those fields, and then lose them overseas for lack of suitable openings here. Pure science may be highly revered in academic circles, and rightly so, for it is the basis of all other science. But the scientist doing pure research has only to follow his nose, without a great deal of thought for where it will lead him. It is the man in applied science who has the greater challenge, for he has a goal to reach; he must somehow find a route that will take him there, and no amount of aimless wandering will suffice.

The Hon. B. E. Talboys, M.P., Minister of Science, discusses the Government's attitude to Science in New Zealand.

There are abundant fields of study in this country that are not only scientifically interesting but economically important as well. The government intends that more attention should be paid to these. We are so very dependent on our agriculture and agricultural industries that a single unchecked insect pest, plant or animal disease, could be considerable damage to our whole economy. We must use our best scientific brains to protect it. Equally, any substantial improvements in our agriculture could be so very beneficial to our economy that we cannot neglect to strive for them. Diversification of the economy is desirable, and here, too, science can help us, but we must be on our guard to ensure that the real productivity of any such innovation is at least equal to that of our agriculture.

Having decided that the country's scientific work should be tied more closely to the needs of the community, we are faced with the problem of deciding just what the needs are, the relative priorities, the prospects of success and how it can best be achieved.

It was for this reason that the old Council of Scientific and Industrial Research was replaced last year by the National Research Advisory Council. The old Council's deliberations were practically confined to the work of D.S.I.R., whereas its successor is charged with advising the government on the promotion and development of scientific research in the country as a whole. It brings together government and university scientists, economists, industrialists and farmers, and reports to mo as Minister of Science.

One of the first acts of the new Council was to set up working parties to examine scientific research and services in various sectors of our economy, both as they exist today and as they might develop in the future. The working party reports are being co-ordinated and as soon as the Council has indicated relative priorities in its own report, the government intends to see to it that scientific effort is concentrated where it is most needed.

B. E. Talboys

It is government policy to encourage the growth of independent research wherever possible. The universities, the Cawthron Institute and private firms have all contributed to our agricultural research, and most of our agriculture-based industries are now served by research associations, jointly financed by government and industry. Those concerned with meat, wool, dairy products, leather and fertilisers are now autonomous, although most of them originated within the D.S.I.R. Those concerned with wheat, tobacco and hops remain integral parts of the Department.

Outside agriculture and its affiliated industries, however, there is scope for a great deal more research. This is the less efficient sector of the economy and the sector where science can probably effect the biggest improvement Transport and construction are two important fields now receiving more help from science than formerly, and some of the universities and technological institutes are active in industrial research and servicing. However, there are only two research associations, and the use made of advisory services is not as widespread as it should be.

A notable exception to this lack of interest is in mineral prospecting. For many years there has been close collaboration between government scientists and private prospecting parties. In view of the economic importance of developing our natural resources to the full, the government is already strengthening its scientific work in this field.

A further aspect of government policy is based on the belief that a great deal can be accomplished by better dissemination of existing knowledge, better advisory services, more expeditious publication and a greater willingness to study a problem from the consumer's standpoint. Many scientific establishments have shortcomings in this respect and much of the blame must fall on the universities which give it little attention. In this they do a disservice to science.

The scientist must learn not to be satisfied until his work is adopted. He must learn first to talk about it in terms that can be understood, to listen to users' comments and then modify his own work accordingly. He must learn not to despise considerations of profitability, for that is the prime interest of his client and only by appealing to that interest will ho generate sympathy for his own.

Finally, I suggest that if we follow this planned approach to science, we shall be working in the interest of the community and of the scientist as well. His goals will be clearer, their attainment more satisfying, his achievements will be better understood and appreciated. We shall be able to look forward to a time of success and prosperity for New Zealand science.