The deep penetration of science into industry which characterises particularly much of today's technology has provided the small industrial manufacturing units and the somewhat amorphous primary industries with problems which have been solved in a variety of ways. The superficial view that the results of overseas research can simply be translated into New Zealand practice has been disproved so often that the need has long been apparent for independent work both in pure and in applied science, on the one hand to ensure that problems peculiar to New Zealand are tackled and on the other that methods and materials which have proved successful elsewhere may be profitably adapted as required to local conditions.
In the primary industries non-governmental research was most readily undertaken in the various factories operated by dairy companies and in the twenties a number of laboratories were established, such as that of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company. Many of the problems of primary industry, however, are national rather than local and it was logical therefore to seek economy and efficiency of effort by pooling resources or by seeking governmental assistance or collaboration. Today, the pattern which has emerged is that of small laboratories serving the day-to-day needs of those units, such as the major freezing works, which are large enough to warrant the appointment of scientific staff, and larger laboratories supported on a co-operative basis and usually partly financed through Government subsidy. An exception is the well organised scientific service in the forest-products industries.
In the secondary industries, concentration of manufacture in a physical sense, even on the scale possible in New Zealand, has made it common for established organisations to support their own laboratories, and some of these are quite large, well equipped, and staffed with highly qualified scientists. Examples which come to mind are those of the oil companies and paint manufacturers. Nevertheless, here also joint research is common and provides a simple solution to many individual problems.
A general direction is given to the promotion of research in New Zealand's manufacturing industries through the Manufacturers' Research Committee, set up in 1944, whose members are appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research (six nominated by the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation and four by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, plus a liaison officer from the Department of Industries and Commerce). This organisation has actively fostered the growth of cooperative research groups. As a result of the stimulus of wartime expansion Cabinet gave approval to the formation of incorporated research associations, financed jointly by industry and by annual grants from Government on the basis of £1 for 1 up to a limit specified for each association, plus £1 for every 2 contributed by industry above the limit. The present minimum for establishing a new research association is £4,500 per annum. The general affairs of the associations are handled by management committees comprising elected representatives of the industry concerned and two or more Government nominees. In many cases these autonomous bodies were built around existing units of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and they have proved well suited to the needs of the country. The following are the several incorporated research associations.
The Institute, situated at Massey Agricultural College, was established in 1927 as a unit of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It was incorporated in 1947, with the members of the Board of Management being the members comprising the Institute, under the Religious, Educational, and Charitable Trusts Act of 1908. The Board comprises three members nominated by the New Zealand Dairy Board, two by the Minister in Charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, one by the Minister of Agriculture, one by the New Zealand Dairy Products Marketing Commission, one by the Council of Massey Agricultural College and one by the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers' Association (Inc.). The Director-General, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Director-General, Department of Agriculture, and the Director of the Institute, are ex officio members.
The Institute, situated at Ruakura, Hamilton, was incorporated in 1955 and its membership comprises all the meat freezing and exporting companies of New Zealand, the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, and the New Zealand Association of Bacon Curers. Its affairs are controlled by an executive consisting of three representatives of the North Island Freezing Companies Association, three of the South Island Association, three of the Meat Producers' Board, two appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, and two by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The Association, whose laboratories are situated at Otara, Otahuhu, was incorporated in 1947, and the laboratories were established in 1950. Its membership includes the fertiliser companies and certain non-subscribing associate members, and members subscribe to a fixed total yearly contribution according to the tonnage of straight superphosphate each has manufactured in the previous year. The management committee comprises seven representatives of the member companies (totalling seven), two persons appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, one by the Minister of Agriculture, and, in addition, the Director-General, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, without vote.
The Association serves the fellmongers, hide processors, tanners, and shoe manufacturers and admits as ancillary members suppliers of materials, chemicals, components, etc. Previously functioning within the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research the Association became incorporated in 1949. Its laboratories are situated at Gracefield, Lower Hutt. Finance from industry is provided by members' subscriptions on either an employee or output basis, with a set subscription for ancillary members. The management committee comprises two representatives of tanners, two of footwear manufacturers, two of fellmongers and hide curers, and two appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The Association, located at Gracefield, Lower Hutt, and incorporated in 1946, was formed in 1945 to assist in the post-war development of the white-wares section of the clay industry, its activities being extended in 1951 to include also the manufacturers of heavy-clay products. The financial contribution from industry is based on the number of employees, and the control of the Association is vested in a council consisting of five representatives of member firms – two from the white-ware group and two from the heavy-clay group plus the president from either group – and two appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research. There is also a management committee for each of the two groups.
The Institute was established in 1937 as a unit of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, located in Dunedin. It was known originally as the New Zealand Wool Manufacturers' Research Association, but on incorporation in 1945 it assumed the title of the New Zealand Woollen Mills Research Association, and in 1957 the name was again changed to the New Zealand Wool Industries Research Institute, consequent upon the admission of commission wool scourers to membership. The Institute consists of ordinary members in groups (woollen mills group, woolscouring group), the New Zealand Wool Board, and the two members of the executive appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, together with certain ancillary members and associate members. The work of the Institute is controlled by an executive consisting of four members elected by the woollen mills group, two members elected by the woolscourers' group, two members appointed by the New Zealand Wool Board, two members appointed by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Director-General, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (but without vote), and one member appointed by the Council of the University of Otago. Finance from industry is contributed by the woollen mill members, the woolscourer members, and the Wool Board.
This Organisation, registered in 1961, represents an important development in collaborative research in the wool industry. Its relationship to the New Zealand Wool Industries Research Institute appears, from its rules, to be complementary, with an emphasis on “wool science”. The laboratories will be situated at Lincoln, adjacent to Canterbury Agricultural College (Lincoln College). Finance from industry is provided through the New Zealand Wool Board and is on a generous basis. The management is vested in an executive consisting of four to six members appointed by the Wool Board, two appointed by the Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research, one by the Minister of Agriculture, the Director-General, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (with right to move motions at meetings but not to vote), and up to three co-opted members (without vote).
The Institute, located at Gracefield, Lower Hutt, was incorporated in 1947, and its groups of members include industrial, hospital boards, ancillary, and manufacturers, together with a small group of overseas members. The management is vested in an executive comprising two representatives of laundry members, two of drycleaning members, two of hospital boards, a president from any of these three groups, one representative of ancillary members, one person appointed by the Minister of Health, and two by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research.
In addition to the incorporated research associations there are three non-incorporated associations, which are units of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and staffed by the Department.
The establishment of this Station at Riwaka, Motueka, followed approaches to the Government from growers and brewers who were greatly concerned at the time with the incidence of black root-rot. In 1947 they indicated their willingness to contribute jointly to the cost of research into hop production problems and a Hop Research Committee was formed, leading in 1949 to the establishment of the Riwaka Station. The committee, which is advisory to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, comprises representatives of the Department, the Department of Agriculture, the hop growers, the brewers, and the Cawthron Institute, which cooperates in the research programme. Finance from industry is contributed through a levy on production.
Established in 1938, this Station is also located at Riwaka, Motueka, and its work is carried out in cooperation with the Cawthron Institute, with finance from industry contributed through a levy on production. The Tobacco Research Committee comprises representatives of the Tobacco Board, the New Zealand Tobacco Growers' Federation, the Cawthron Institute, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Industries and Commerce.
The Institute was established in 1928 in the form of a Cereal Laboratory at Christchurch and a Wheat Breeding Section at Lincoln. In 1950 the latter was amalgamated with the Agronomy Division of the Department (then renamed the Crop Research Division). Finance is derived from a levy in the flourmilling and baking industries and from a Government subsidy.
Finally, there remain one or two industries for which research associations have not yet been formed but which function under a scheme introduced in 1952 whereby, operating on the same basis for finance and research programmes as the research associations, the work is undertaken in one of the laboratories of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by one or more scientists allocated to each group. Such a group is operating for the bacon-curing industry, and industries in Auckland have formed somewhat similar groups for fuel technology and instrument technology in association with the Auckland Industrial Development Laboratories.