Full text : Report of the British Economic Mission to Australia

a)

D. Tre DeveropMENT AND Migration ComMissioN, THE COUNCIL FOR
ScieNTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, and Economic RESEARCH.

1. The terms of our reference placed
us into immediate and intimate contact
 with the Development and Migration
 Commission, whose scope of activities
 includes many of the matters
which we were asked to consider. Ome
or more members of the Commission
accompanied us during a considerable
portion of our itinerary in Australia,
and we have had a number of prolonged
 meetings with the Commission
as a body. .
2. We have also met the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research, and
have made inquiries into their work,
which marches in some directions with
that of the Development and Migration
 Commission. But, while the latter
body deals (inter alin) with the application
 of scientific truths and discoveries,
 the Council at present’ is
mainly concerned with purely scientific
investigations, chiefly related to agrisultural
 subjects.
3. We have emphasized in our report
 our appreciation of these two
bodies and of the services they are
rendering to Australia, not only by
their direct investigation of business
and scientific problems, but by fostering
 a spirit of co-ordination and collahoration
 between the various Government
 agencies with whom they are
respectively brought into contact.
4, We are satisfied that the inception
 of both of these services is well
founded, and that the results they
have achieved are eminently satisfactory,
 especially in view of the short
time they have been in existence, and
we think that their hands should be
strengthened in every practical way,
especially by means of efficient staffing.
Incidentally, we may mention that the
recruitment of suitable staff is not an
easy matter in view of the many
jyualifications which are necessary in
the multifarious dulies undertaken bv
these bodies.
5. The relationship between the two
bodies, which are often engaged in the
investigation of the complementary
sides of the same problem, is a cordial
one, but we would suggest that means
should be taken to make more close

their co-ordination and collaboration
so that each may take full advantage
of the knowledge and departmental
‘acilities of the other. Otherwise,
1aving regard to some similarity
setween their respective functions, it
's possible ‘that their work may
sccasionally overlap. At the moment
we are inclined to think that this cosperation
 is not so complete as to lead
;0 the maximum effect from their
offorts, and that there may be some
necessity, therefore, for defining move
slosely and accurately the respective
“unctions of the two bodies.
8. At the present time there are
several authorities whose sphere of
wctivities demands trained economists.
I'he Development and Migration Commission
 has necessarily to consider
sconomics in connection with any
scheme of development; the Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research
's also concerned not only with
sconomics as a science, but with the
application of that science to the
result of their investigations. The
Pariff Board must consider theeconomic
sffect, not only on the particular inlustries
 to which protection is afforded
»ut on other industries, of the imposiion
 or removal of protective duties;
and we think that the Arbitration
Courts should consider the wide
:conomic effect of any contemplated
lecisions which they may be called on
10 give in regard to wages.
7. It has been proposed to establish
1 service to deal with economic
sroblems, and that this service should
‘orm part of the work of the Council
‘or Scientific and Industrial Research;
»ut the sphere of activities of the prososed
 service is, in our opinion, so imyortant
 as to demand a separate
rrganization. Moreover, we think
‘hat such an arrangement would be
lesirable in order that the present
vork of the Council for Scientific and
dustrial Research should not be preudiced
 in any way by the actions of
onclusions of the new service. This
new service must necessarily deal with
problems which directly affect the polirical
 life of the country, and it must
            
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